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.")

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. 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.

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Aero-Tips 09.20.06

I was in the right seat of a B36TC Bonanza over Muncie, IN last weekend. My student was flying a VOR holding pattern at 4000 feet directly above Muncie, a Class D (tower-controlled) airport. We were on an IFR flight plan, although at KMIE we were in clear (albeit hazy) blue skies.

Done with our holding practice, we were cleared for the VOR/GPS 14 approach into Muncie. This begins with a turn northwest (outbound on the approach course) and a descent to 3000 feet. Just as we turned another aircraft checked in with Indianapolis Center, IFR inbound to the airport below us. Indy Center could not clear that pilot for a visual approach while we used the airspace on our IFR approach clearance, so the controller assigned that pilot a holding pattern in the airspace we'd just vacated. Given that we were not under radar coverage he would have to hold until we completed our entire approach.

Fly neighborly

We were in near-perfect visual conditions so I decided to be a good neighbor. I called Indy Center and canceled our IFR flight plan, telling Indy we would continue our approach under VFR.  Indy acknowledged, cleared the other airplane for a visual, and handed us off to Muncie Tower.

A "gotcha"

There was a potential "gotcha" in this scenario. Class D usually extends to 2500 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). In the specific case of KMIE the top to the Class D is at 3400 feet above Mean Sea Level.

As an IFR flight we were cleared into the Muncie Class D airspace when given our approach clearance. Once we canceled IFR, however, our permission to enter the Class D went away. I knew we were high enough to be outside the lateral limits of the Class D before reaching 3400 feet, but a more rapid descent might have caused us to "bust" this airspace. If instead of flying the full approach we had chosen a visual landing, for instance, we likely would have entered Muncie's Class D from above.

When my student called the tower its controller was surprised we had canceled IFR (our decision came after handoff began), and the tone in his voice showed concern that we might be in his airspace without clearance. I confirmed our altitude and all was well.

Aero-tip of the day: This IFR-to-VFR is a potential airspace bust any time you are in or near Class B, C or D airspace. If you are not certain you can remain clear of the controlled airspace until establishing contact, call that airspace's controller and arrange VFR entry before canceling your IFR clearance. 

FMI: Aero-Tips