Flight Operations

Pilots navigating under Visual Flight Rules must carefully calculate their fuel needs beyond simply reaching their destination. Federal regulations mandate specific reserves—30 minutes for daytime airplane flights, 45 minutes at night, and 20 minutes for helicopters—to provide crucial safety margins for unexpected situations. These requirements, codified in 14 CFR § 91.151, account for variables like headwinds and weather conditions that can affect fuel consumption.

Flying beneath cloud layers to maintain visual contact with the ground might seem like a practical solution when weather deteriorates, but this practice—known as scud running—has contributed to numerous fatal aviation accidents. Pilots who descend to extremely low altitudes to stay visual face serious risks including collision with terrain, towers, and power lines, all while dealing with decreasing visibility and minimal reaction time. Even experienced aviators can quickly find themselves trapped between worsening conditions above and obstacles below, with few options remaining.

Pilots rely on navigation logs to convert complex flight data into usable information during every stage of their journey. These detailed documents track everything from wind correction angles to fuel consumption rates, serving as both a pre-flight planning tool and an in-flight reference guide. A well-maintained nav log helps pilots stay aware of their situation and provides essential data for decisions throughout their flight.