When can you not use an airport as an alternate?
[Instrument Procedures Handbook, pg. 2-11] Not all airports can be used as alternate airports. An airport may not be qualified for alternate use if the airport NAVAID is unmonitored, is Global Positioning System (GPS) based, or if it does not have weather reporting capabilities.
Can your departure airport be your alternate?
A Take-off alternate is an aerodrome at which an aircraft would be able to land should this become necessary shortly after take-off and it is not possible to use the aerodrome of departure.
When must a pilot file an alternate airport?
You need to name an alternate airport on your IFR flight plan if, for the period of time one hour before and one hour after your estimated time of arrival, the weather is forecast to include a ceiling of 2,000 feet agl and/or visibilities less than three statute miles (the 1-2-3 rule).
Do you have to use an alternate airport?
The FAA seem to make it clear that alternate airport local weather IS required for a particular approach to be considered for the purpose of alternate minimum planning: “Not all airports can be used as alternate airports.
Can a Navaid be used as an alternate airport?
An airport may not be qualified for alternate use if the airport NAVAID is unmonitored, or if it does not have weather reporting capabilities.” (From the Instrument Procedures Handbook).
How to find alternate minimums for an airport?
If you’re using FAA charts, finding alternate minimums is a 2-step process. First, if the airport has nonstandard alternate minimums, you’ll see this symbol on the approach chart for the airport: Next, to find out what the alternate minimums actually are, you need to turn to the chart supplement.
When do you need to file an alternate under IFR?
Many airports will have nonstandard alternate requirements due to terrain considerations, and they may vary by aircraft approach category. In rare cases, an airport might not be available as an alternate, often because there’s no on-airport weather reporting.