Flying in Foul Weather: “To Save a Life” 1957 AOPA Pilot Training Film

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Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association training film. ‘Technical Adviser: Leslie A. Bryan, Director, Institute of Aviation, University of Illinois. Chief Flight Instructor: Jesse W. Stonecipher. Flight Instructor: Jack Eggspeuhler… Beech Aircraft Corporation. Film production by Film Originals.’

Public domain film from the Prelinger Archives, slightly cropped to remove uneven edges, with the aspect ratio corrected, and mild video noise reduction applied.
The soundtrack was also processed with volume normalization, noise reduction, clipping reduction, and/or equalization (the resulting sound, though not perfect, is far less noisy than the original).

Instrument flight rules (IFR) is one of two sets of regulations governing all aspects of civil aviation aircraft operations; the other is visual flight rules (VFR).

FAA’s Instrument Flying Handbook defines IFR as: “Rules and regulations established by the FAA to govern flight under conditions in which flight by outside visual reference is not safe. IFR flight depends upon flying by reference to instruments in the flight deck, and navigation is accomplished by reference to electronic signals. It is also a term used by pilots and controllers to indicate the type of flight plan an aircraft is flying, such as an IFR or VFR flight plan…

Visual flight rules…

Flights operating under VFR are flown solely by reference to outside visual cues (horizon, buildings, flora, etc.) which permit navigation, orientation, and separation from terrain and other traffic. Thus, cloud ceiling and flight visibility are the most important variables for safe operations during all phases of flight…

…typical daytime VFR minimums for most airspace is 3 statute miles of flight visibility and a cloud distance of 500′ below, 1,000′ above, and 2,000′ feet horizontally. Flight conditions reported as equal to or greater than these VFR minimums are referred to as visual meteorological conditions (VMC).

Visual flight rules can be simpler than IFR, and require significantly less training and practice. VFR provides a great degree of freedom, allowing pilots to go where they want, when they want, and allows them a much wider latitude in determining how they get there. Pilots are not required to file a flight plan…

VFR pilots may use cockpit instruments as secondary aids to navigation and orientation, but are not required to. However, any aircraft operating under IFR must have the required equipment on board…

Instrument flight rules

Instrument flight rules permit an aircraft to operate in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) in contrast to VFR. They are also an integral part of flying in class A airspace. “Class A” airspace exists over and near the 48 contiguous U.S. states and Alaska from 18,000 feet above mean sea level to flight level 600 (approximately 60,000 feet in altitude depending on variables such as atmospheric pressure). Flight in “class A” airspace requires pilots and aircraft to be instrument equipped and rated and to be operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). Most jet aircraft operate in “class A” airspace for the cruise portion of their flight and are therefore required to utilize IFR procedures. Procedures and training are significantly more complex as a pilot must demonstrate competency in conducting an entire cross-country flight in IMC conditions, while controlling the aircraft solely by reference to instruments.

Instrument pilots must meticulously evaluate weather, create a very detailed flight plan based around specific instrument departure, en route, and arrival procedures, and dispatch the flight…

Pilot

To fly under IFR, a pilot must have an instrument rating and must be current (meet recency of experience requirements). In the United States, to file and fly under IFR, a pilot must be instrument-rated and, within the preceding six months, have flown six instrument approaches, as well as holding procedures and course interception and tracking with navaids. Flight under IFR beyond six months after meeting these requirements is not permitted; however, currency may be reestablished within the next six months by completing the requirements above. Beyond the twelfth month, examination (“instrument proficiency check”) by an instructor is required.

Practicing instrument approaches can be done either in the instrument meteorological conditions or in visual meteorological conditions — in the latter case, a safety pilot is required so that the pilot practicing instrument approaches can wear a view-limiting device which restricts his field of view to the instrument panel. A safety pilot’s primary duty is to observe and avoid other traffic…