Building the IFR Flight Plan End-to-End
Key rules and sequence for composing, filing, and briefing a complete IFR flight plan.
Keyboard Shortcuts
💡 Pro tip: Use keyboard shortcuts for faster studying!
Study Smart Tips for Building the IFR Flight Plan End-to-End
Master these concepts using proven study techniques that actually work:
Active Recall
Test yourself before flipping each card to strengthen memory retention
Spaced Repetition
Review difficult cards more frequently than easy ones
Multiple Sessions
Break study time into shorter, focused sessions
Explain Aloud
Verbalize answers to reinforce understanding
Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
What is the correct first step in IFR flight planning?
Weather first, route second — big picture (Prog/surface/satellite), then convection, icing, turbulence, then TAFs/METARs for departure, destination, alternate, and enroute bailouts.
Three questions weather answers before route planning
Can I go at all? What altitude is survivable? Do I need an alternate, and where?
What is the chain of a filed IFR route?
Departure airport → departure transition (ODP/SID) → enroute structure → arrival transition (STAR/feeder) → destination.
Best sources for filing a route ATC will actually issue
FAA Preferred Routes listing plus recently cleared routes for the city pair (FlightAware, ForeFlight 'Recently Cleared,' Route Advisor).
Altitude selection legal requirements
At or above MEA (or MOCA within 22 NM of the VOR, or OROCA/off-route figure if direct), hemispheric rule in uncontrolled airspace, and respect MCA climb requirements at fixes.
Hemispheric rule (uncontrolled airspace)
Odd thousands eastbound (0–179° magnetic), even thousands westbound (180–359°).
IFR fuel requirement under 14 CFR 91.167
Fuel to the destination, then to the most distant required alternate, then 45 minutes at normal cruise.
State the 1-2-3 rule
From 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA, if the destination forecast is at least 2,000 ft AGL ceiling AND 3 SM visibility, no alternate is required; otherwise file one.
Standard alternate minimums (91.169)
600-2 with a precision approach, 800-2 for non-precision — unless a published alternate minimum (Ⓐ triangle in the TPP) applies.
What does 'NA' in the alternate minimums section mean?
The airport cannot be used as an alternate at all (often due to no weather reporting or unmonitored navaid).
