While VFR flight relies on seeing the outside world, IFR navigation allows pilots to fly “by the numbers” even when visibility is reduced. Using a variety of instruments and electronic aids, pilots can navigate precisely through clouds and fog – and even at night – by following pre-planned routes and procedures. Within this section, members discuss the various technologies and techniques that comprise instrument navigation, including:
By sharing stories of navigating through fog so thick the wings disappear, this section hopes to convey the mixture of wonder, concentration and trust in technology that instrument flight requires.While IFR navigation trades the freedom of seeing the outside world for the precision of following electromagnetic signals and numbers on a screen, it still represents a triumph of human ingenuity and skill – allowing pilots to soar above storms and darkness, guided by little more than radio waves and faith in their instruments.