Regulations and planning
- Currency: 6 approaches, holding, intercept/track in 6 calendar months; then IPC
- Alternate needed unless ±1 hr ETA: 2,000 ft ceiling and 3 SM
- Alternate minimums 600-2 precision, 800-2 nonprecision; reserve 45 min
Equipment
- VOR check every 30 days: VOT ±4°, airborne ±6°, dual ±4°
- Altimeter/static and transponder every 24 calendar months
- Vacuum failure → attitude and heading gyros; use turn coordinator and compass
ATC and navigation
- Clearance: CRAFT; standard hold right turns, 1-min legs ≤ 14,000 MSL
- Holding speeds: 200 KIAS ≤ 6,000; 230 to 14,000; 265 above
- DME slant-range error greatest high and close; RAIM checks GPS integrity
Approaches and emergencies
- DA for precision, MDA for nonprecision; descend only with runway environment
- Contact approach: pilot request, 1 SM, clear of clouds
- Lost comm: route AVEF; squawk 7600; in VFR land as soon as practicable
Test yourself on IRA
Reading a summary is the easy part. Take the free 10-question diagnostic to see which of these domains you actually have, then drill the rest.