CFI Instrument Practical Test Standards, FAA-S-8081-9B, June 2001

III. Preflight Preparation

B. Cross-country flight planning

1. Regulatory requirements for instrument flight within various types of airspace
   a. The PIC is directly responsible for and is the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft; and in an in-flight emergency may deviate from any rule of Part 91 to the extent required and then send a written report to the Administrator if requested (14 CFR Sec. 91.3)
   b. Sec. 91.21 prohibits operation of portable electronic devices on aircradft under IFR
   c. Preflight action for flight under IFR (or not near an airport) must include becoming familiar with (Sec. 91.103)
   1) Weather reports and forecasts
   2) Fuel requirements
   3) Alternatives available if unable to complete the planned flight
   4) Traffic delays reported by ATC, and
   5) Lengths of runways to be used and takeoff and landing distance information in POH (for any flight)
   d. Flight in Class A airspace must be conducted under IFR with ATC clearance (Sec. 91.135)
   e) Requirements for flight under IFR in controlled airspace (Sec. 91.173)
   1) File an IFR flight plan
   2) Get an ATC clearance
   f) ATC clearance ensures aircraft avoidance of active restricted areas unless aircraft is on an approved altitude reservation mission or has obtained its own permission to operate in the airspace and so informs the controlling facility (AIM)
   g) IFR traffic may be cleared through a MOA if IFR separation can be provided by ATC; otherwise, ATC will reroute or restrict nonparticipating IFR traffic
   h) In IFR conditions, aircraft must have enough fuel to fly to the (Sec. 91.167)
   1) First airport of intended landing and
   2) From that airport to the alternate airport if an alternate is required and
   3) After that for 45 minutes at normal cruise speed
2. Computation of estimated time en route and total fuel requirement for an IFR cross-country flight
   a. Decide operating altitude or flight level based on
   1) Minimum IFR altitude (Sec. 91.177)
   2) Airplane performance and equipment (POH/FM)
   3) Weather factors
   i) Winds aloft
   ii) Temperature, freezing level, icing, cloud tops
   iii) Turbulence
   4) Duration of flight
   5) Oxygen availability
   b. Choose power setting (MP, RPM) at cruise altitude and estimate TAS and fuel flow (POH Section 5, e.g. C-TR182 at 8000 feet)
   c. Use TAS and wind data to determine GS, ETE (for each leg and total to destination) and fuel requirement (record on flight nav log)
   1) Start with time, fuel and distance to climb using POH Section 5
   i) Include fuel for start, taxi and takeoff (C-TR182: 2.0 gal)
   ii) Increase for warmer temperatures (C-TR182: 10% for each 8°>standard)
   2) Add time and fuel for flight from reaching cruise altitude to first point of intended landing
   3) This ETE added to takeoff time determines ETA at first point of intended landing
   
   • Time to start approach in event of two-way radio communications failure if no EFC received (Sec. 91.185)
   4) If an alternate is required (Sec. 91.167), estimate time and fuel for flight from first point of intended landing to alternate airport
   5) Add fuel for 45 minutes at normal cruise speed to determine minimum fuel required by Sec. 91.167
3. Selection and correct interpretation of the current and applicable en route charts, DP's, STAR's, and standard instrument approach procedure charts
   a. Confirm correct and current en route charts and TPPs (includes DPs, STARs and IAPs)
   1) Confirm effective dates on front of charts and booklets
   2) Dates of latest editions of charts online (28 and 56 day product effective dates)
   3) Check for changes between effective dates
   a) Aeronautical Chart Bulletin online or in a current AFD
   b) NOTAMs
   b. NACO Chart User's Guide for interpretation of chart symbols
   c. Recommend: VFR charts may also prove helpful
4. Procurement and interpretation of the applicable NOTAM information
   a. Time-critical aeronautical information of a temporary nature or not known in time to be published on charts or other publications receives immediate dissemination via the NOTAM system
   b. NOTAM information could effect a pilot's go/no-go decision
   c. Three categories
   1) NOTAM (D) or distant - widley disseminated
   a) Data file maintained at Weather Message Switching Center (WMSC), Atlanta, GA
   b) Distrubuted automatically via Service A telecommunications system
   2) NOTAM (L) or local - distrubuted locally only by the area FSS
   3) FDC NOTAMs
   a) Regulatory information (e.g., chart and IAP changes, TFRs)
   b) Each FSS keeps file of current unpublished FDC NOTAMs applicable within 400 NM
   c) DUATS provides FDC NOTAMs only upon site-specific (location identifier) request
   d. NOTAMs (D) and some (L) expected to last longer than 7 days and FDC NOTAMs are published every 28 days in the Notices to Airmen Publication (NTAP)
   e. GPS NOTAMs available from ARTCC Special Notices
5. Preparation and filing of an actual or simulated IFR flight plan
   a. Before entering controlled airspace under IFR, file an IFR flight plan and receive an ATC clearance (Sec. 91.173)
   b. IFR flight plan information may be reviewed in the AIM, 5-8-1
   c. For determining equipment suffix, consider GPS to be RNAV
   d. Mode C transponder and GPS with en route and terminal capability = /G
   

References

14 CFR Part 91
AIM
Instrument Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-15, 1999

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