Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.") It's part of what makes aviation so exciting for all of us... just when you think you've seen it all, along comes a scenario you've never imagined.

Aero-News has called upon the expertise of Thomas P. Turner, master CFI and all-around-good-guy, to bring our readers -- and us -- daily tips to improve our skills as aviators, and as representatives of the flying community. Some of them, you may have heard before... but for each of us, there will also be something we might never have considered before, or something that didn't "stick" the way it should have the first time we memorized it for the practical test.

It is our unabashed goal that "Aero-Tips" will help our readers become better, safer pilots -- as well as introducing our ground-bound readers to the concepts and principles that keep those strange aluminum-and-composite contraptions in the air... and allow them to soar magnificently through it.

Look for our daily Aero-Tips segments, coming each day to you through the Aero-News Network. Suggestions for future Aero-Tips are always welcome, as are additions or discussion of each day's tips. Remember... when it comes to being better pilots, we're all in this together.

Aero-Tips 04.05.06

Runway in sight, you glide down to the runway. You've completed a flight on a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) or Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan... how do you tell the system you've safely completed your flight?

VFR

The purpose of a VFR flight plan is to alert search and rescue services if you are more than 30 minutes overdue to your destination.

Note: Update your Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) en route if you'll be more than 30 minutes later than your actual time of departure plus actual time en route.

Pilots are always responsible for close their flight plan. Control towers do not automatically close out VFR flight plans because they don't know if a particular airplane is on a VFR flight plan. You can request the tower close your VFR flight plan, but generally you need to contact a Flight Service Station (FSS) by radio or phone to close your flight plan and report your safe arrival.

IFR

IFR flight plans are used for Air Traffic Control purposes as well as the search-and-rescue function. Because controllers do know if you're on an IFR flight plan they will automatically close your IFR flight plan when you touch down at a tower-controlled airport. But controllers must actually see your airplane touch down to automatically cancel your IFR flight plan -- at any nontowered facility you must tell an ATC facility or Flight Service you wish to CANCEL MY IFR FLIGHT PLAN -- colloquially, "cancel IFR" -- which terminates your IFR clearance, your IFR flight plan, and any radar services you're receiving.

You may also call Flight Service by telephone to cancel after landing, often the only means of closing out after landing at a nontowered airport in low weather conditions (when you can't cancel in the air).

Note: ATC can sequence only one airplane into or out of most nontowered airports at a time-meaning the sooner you cancel IFR, the sooner the next person can use the airspace. If you're in good visual conditions and have the runway in sight, go ahead and cancel IFR unless you doubt the ability to remain in Visual Meteorological Conditions all the way to landing.

Aero-tip of the day: Know how to close out your VFR or IFR flight plan

FMI: Aero-Tips