How to Brief an Approach Plate | Our Best IFR Briefing Tips | IFR Approaches Made Easy

Are you ready to brief an IFR approach? I remember the anxiety I had when my CFII would say to me during a flight, "OK let's brief." With a little practice, you'll be briefing approaches like a pro in no time.

Just remember to keep the briefing simple and methodical, and make it an exercise in flying the approach in your head first, so that when you're actually doing it, it's a matter of just following your plan.

Here's an example of an instrument approach briefing, including some tips you won't see elsewhere about making the brief really work for you.

[borntofly]

When you say “there’s no defined missed approach point, ” I believe there is. If you’re flying the LOC approach, once you pass the FAF, you hit your timer and use the chart on the bottom left of the approach plate to determine how much time it will take to get to the MAP, it’s based on ground speed. 🙂

[dactel]

Great video. I also like to brief what kinds of “threats” are present for the arrival and approach BEFORE diving into briefing the approach plate. (e.g. terrain, weather, my fatigue level, any inop equipment that might require special procedures, any other unusual situations, etc., etc.) When you do this, the law of primacy tends to work in our favor in keeping better situational awareness.

[nldesperanza]

I like to brief (and highlight) all the approaches for my airport of intended landing the day before the flight. Then they are like old friends when it is time to fly one.

[oddrobotman]

Everyone in the comments here is saying for the LOC approach that there is no defined MAP, but in the time/ distance table it clearly states the MAP is 4.3 NM from the FAF which means the MAP is at the threshold. If you have GPS you can identify the MAP as RW23 waypoint on the FMS and go there. If you don’t have a GPS, then you must use a timer to ID the MAP. Correct me if I’m wrong.

[StevieWonder]

As a pilot with over 38, 000 hours I found this video informative. I will say that I brief generalities where specific numbers are likely only to be confusing and create mental data overload. Example: the MSA altitudes/radials. You are never going to remember lots of these numbers nor should. Generalize with something like "high terrain" NE or SW as appropriate. Ditto on the missed approach. Have the first couple of actions in mind but you can't memorize a complicateds MA procedure. You want the first couple of items since they often involve terrain avoidance in routing and altitudes.

In other words ... KISS (keep it simple, stupid) ... is the best philosophy. Have a good grasp of the general structure of the approach but don't bog down in details that you likely won't remember anyway.

And the missed approach, as noted in a comment below, is either the DA or if you were too high for the approach and elected to go around, the MA procedure would start at the MAP for localizer only be it DME or time. A premature missed approach might trigger issues if it calls for climb to an altitude that might create interference.

[ksuen]

Thank you for making this video, I wish I had this during my instrument stage.

[JPLAviation]

Hello, at 7:00 when briefing the ILS or LOC RWY 23, you said "this approach doesn't have a defined missed approach point so we can go missed when we decide." Can you clarify the reasoning? I may be mistaken but I believe that when shooting the ILS your missed approach trigger (assuming stabilized approach) is the DA at which you arrive while tracking the glide slope and localizer. The localizer missed approach trigger is when you've descended to the MDA and have hit your time limit specified on the lower left of the chart based on indicated airspeed. Very valuable insight to students who use this videos to study as I'll send many of mine to your channel. Let me know your thoughts! Great vids!

[antonattard]

Ahhh the airport where I always pratice my approaches!! So cool to see this video!

[javacup]

Great presentation and well explalin. Very good memtioning of the ODALS, and why.
You'd be surprised how many pilots do poorly here (briefing). Just a couple of notes. Though somewhat obvious, flying outbound from the VOR, the No PT, should be noted. Also, as for chart currency and dates, for people that want to spend the extra money and buy the Jeppesen charts, Jeppesen only updates their dates, if changes have been made. Government charts (formerly NOAA, as shown), updates their dates with the current Nav Database cycle.

[Mcphaterson]

So why did the LOC approach have a lower visibility requirement in this example???

[AlanTheBest]

I have a question. You state that this plate has no defined point for the missed approach and you can go missed when you decide in the non precision approach... However, there IS a time table for the FAF to the MAP that shows the time to fly from the FAF to the MAP at a given ground speed... Is this table only aplied for the precision approach and not relevant to the non precision? Wouldnt it be a good practice to follow this table in both precision and non precision aproach? This is getting me very confused in my studies, could someone please help?

[drewpanderson]

"Helicopter visibility we don't care about".

MFW I'm a helicopter pilot brushing up on instrument knowledge... 😭 Haha don't worry, no offense taken. Love your videos! Super helpful and wish I had them in flight school.

[tangocharlie]

I brief mine in MSFS.
In VR.
In a full motion sim.
With a GNS 530 & 430.

(I pretty much *have* been there when I fly it irl.)

MSFS is awesome.

[thpage]

Isn't the missed approach point for this localizer approach determined by the time after passing the final approach fix?

[aviatewithmahrad]

Thanks for the explanation! Great video as usual!

[fromunderplease]

Great video! Can you clarify the procedure notes section(2:13) “ Takeoff and alternate procedures” some Pilots say that you should included it in your brief, career pilots say if you’re not using it as an alternate airport this does not apply and not have to be briefed. Any thoughts?

[bradcameron]

I'm guessing the difference between the ILS and LOC visibility requirements is because the distance from the aircraft to the runway threshold is further at the DA than it would be at the MAP. No idea, just a wild guess. Standing by for internet correction.

[LTVoyager]

So, why is the visibility requirement for the ILS higher than for the category A LOC?

[josephmiller]

From Numbe to the IAF I would have briefed teardrop then 1 turn in the hold before approach. A procedure turn is not the preferred entry into this approach.

[paulvandingenen]

Hello,

I will give you the Briefing i used to use in my 50 years as ifr FI, and TRI on several Boeing and airbus aircraft.

WNF RAR
DEP ARR DIV
Weather
Notam
Fuel

Routing
Altitudes
Radio aids


Paul