IFR MASTERY SCENARIOS
This month's scenario Turkey Day Turbulence #195 | NOVEMBER 2026 A short IFR hop across Florida turns into a challenging IFR workout as the descent brings sharp wind shifts, turbulence. Do you try again where you just missed or divert somewhere less convenient, maybe even all the way back home to drive instead?Start scenario →
Icing Near Worcester
Helping a VFR-only pilot get his airplane home airport should be piece of cake. It's a short trip in reasonable weather in a well-equipped airplane. All goes as planned until you run into unexpected conditions shortly after departure. Suddenly, a safe outcome to this flight is in question.
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Vectors to New Haven
A short flight home from Nantucket Island off Massachusetts with your wife and two friends is uneventful until the final stages. You'll face night IFR, a potential circle-to-land approach, and multiple heading changes from ATC. See how well you do making sound decisions under pressure.
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GPS Loss Near Rutland
GPS has proven to be extremely reliable. They are now a backbone of IFR flight. However, GPS units and satellite transmissions can and do fail. Even a partial loss of your GPS unit can have a significant impact. Experience first-hand how a failure will impact a typical IFR flight.
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Medical Over New Mexico
Medical emergencies are always a source of concern in aviation, but they take on added significance in IMC. How will you get a sick passenger on the ground quickly? No matter what you choose, I'll require an emergency instrument letdown, approach and landing under IFR.
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Lost Comm at Teterboro
How would you like to suddenly lose all radio communications in one of the busiest airspaces in the world — while in IMC? While the set-up for this lost comm is humorous, the lessons are deadly serious, and they offer a chance to review a life-saving procedure you might need one day.
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Night Approach to Minimums
After a long cross country trip, you are faced with the prospect of making an approach to minimums with deteriorating weather and strong turbulence. To make matters worse, you're attempting the approach at night after a long day of flying. How will you make a rough day end well?
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Thunderstorms to Nashville
When lines of thunderstorms cross your path, you must evaluate several options and decide on the safest route around this severe weather. Depending on which option you choose, you may also be required to do some tactical, in-flight planning, which will only add to the challenge of getting to your destination.
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IFR Reroute to Kinston
Instrument flight plans don't always arrive as filed. How quickly can you evaluate several options from ATC in the highly congested NY airspace, including how each one impacts your personal minimums and comfort level? IFR flying is all about managing risk and adapting to changing conditions.
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Van Nuys Departure
Although a standard instrument departure (SID) will keep aircraft away from terrain, it is optimized for ATC route of flight and will not always provide the lowest climb gradient. Test your ability to analyze all available departure options and choose the best one in challenging conditions!
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Super Bowl Arrival
When you're offered Super Bowl tickets on the morning of the big game, owning your own airplane means you can fly yourself and a friend to Dallas in plenty of time to make the kickoff. Everything is perfect, except for the weather. Now you'll have to make some tricky decisions. See you at the game?
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Headwinds to St Louis
A three-hour IFR flight to attend a family reunion is uneventful for most of the trip, until you notice that something isn't quite right. You'll need to evaluate the current situation and decide if a change in your flight plan is warranted before weather deteriorates at your destination.
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Electrical Failure Over Iowa
Electrical failures can sneak up on the inattentive. Yet they require prompt action and sound decision making to guarantee a safe outcome. Choosing the best place to land is important, but also how you manage the flight to your chosen landing location is equally--if not more-- important.
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Partial Panel Emergency
Losing critical instruments in IMC could scare the pants off any instrument pilot. Glass cockpits or redundant systems don't exempt pilots from instrument emergencies. Consider how you would handle an emergency that requires an immediate diversion in IMC followed by a partial-panel approach.
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Circling Approach vs Tailwind
Sometimes the best choice is not so obvious, and each option creates unique challenges. This is a real-world situation and your evaluation and decision making can make the difference between an uneventful approach and a hazardous one. How will your decisions play out?
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Unexpected Icing Over Oregon
Unexpected icing encounters can pose a threat to any IFR pilot, no matter what equipment they're flying . Test your decision making when you encounter ice along your route that was not in the weather forecast. Your immediate reaction will be critical for ensuring a safe outcome.
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