IFR Cross-Country — Routes, Fuel & Alternates

IFR Cross-Country

Plan the Flight, Fly the Plan

IFR cross-country planning is where knowledge meets application. The DPE will expect you to walk through route selection, MEA/MOCA analysis, fuel calculations, and alternate planning as if you're actually flying the trip.

Key Takeaways

File via preferred IFR or TEC routes (Chart Supplement) or direct GPS; airways are Victor below FL180, Jet routes at/above.
With no ODP and no assigned SID, fly the diverse departure: straight ahead to 400 ft above the DER before turning, at 200 ft/NM.
Copy your clearance as CRAFT (Clearance limit, Route, Altitude, Frequency, Transponder) before taxi.
File at least 30 minutes out, and remember to close the IFR flight plan if you're not in radar contact.

IFR Route Selection

Check preferred IFR routes in the Chart Supplement (formerly A/FD)
File via airways (Victor below FL180, Jet routes at/above FL180) or direct GPS
Consider TEC routes for short IFR flights within approach control airspace
Review IFR en route low/high altitude charts for airway structure and fixes

AIM 5-4-17

Departure Procedures

Check Takeoff Minimums and ODPs in the departure procedures section
Standard climb gradient: 200 ft/NM unless otherwise noted
SIDs (Standard Instrument Departures) simplify complex departures from busy airports
If no ODP exists and no SID is assigned, a diverse departure applies — climb straight ahead to 400 ft above the DER before turning, at the standard 200 ft/NM gradient

AIM 5-2-9

Arrival Planning

STARs transition aircraft from en route to the terminal area for approach
Review expected approach procedure(s) at destination and alternate
Brief the full approach plate: minimums, missed approach, timing, and IAF
Have backup approaches ready in case primary approach is NOTAM'd out

AIM 5-4-1

Filing Your Flight Plan

Include equipment suffix (e.g., /G for GPS, /A for DME+transponder)
File at least 30 minutes before proposed departure time
CRAFT: Clearance limit, Route, Altitude, Frequency, Transponder
Don't forget to close your IFR flight plan (or ensure ATC does via radar contact)

14 CFR §91.173

Key Takeaways

IFR reserve (§91.167): destination + 45 min at normal cruise; if an alternate is required, add fuel to the alternate too.
1-2-3 rule (§91.169): no alternate needed only if the destination is forecast ≥2,000 ft ceiling and ≥3 SM from 1 hr before to 1 hr after ETA.
Standard alternate minimums: precision 600-2, non-precision 800-2 — watch for ▲A non-standard and "NA" airports.
Plan above the legal minimum: account for vectors, holds, and a possible missed approach.

IFR Fuel Requirements

No alternate required: Fuel to destination + 45 minutes at normal cruise
Alternate required: Fuel to destination + fuel to alternate + 45 minutes at normal cruise
45-minute reserve is at normal cruising speed — not best economy or max endurance
Consider holding fuel: Plan for at least one hold at destination during poor weather

Leg	Fuel	Notes
Destination	Full flight	To the first airport of intended landing
Alternate	Full leg	Destination to the alternate — omitted when no alternate is required under §91.169(b)
Reserve	45 minutes	At normal cruising speed, after all of the above. Not best-economy or max-endurance

14 CFR §91.167

Alternate Airport Selection

1-2-3 rule: No alternate needed if destination shows ≥2,000' and ≥3 SM from 1 hr before to 1 hr after ETA
Standard alternate minimums: Precision — 600-2; Non-precision — 800-2
Check for non-standard minimums (▲A symbol) and "NA" (not authorized) alternates
Consider distance, approach types, and weather trends when selecting alternate

Question	Answer	Notes
Need one?	The 1-2-3 rule	No alternate required if, from 1 hour before to 1 hour after ETA, the ceiling will be at least 2,000 ft and visibility at least 3 SM — and the destination has a published IAP
Precision	600 ft / 2 SM	Standard alternate minima at the ETA, used only when the procedure publishes none of its own
Nonprecision	800 ft / 2 SM	Standard alternate minima at the ETA, used only when the procedure publishes none of its own
No IAP	Basic VFR	Ceiling and visibility must allow descent from the MEA, approach, and landing under basic VFR

600-2 / 800-2 are the fallback. If the approach publishes its own alternate minima, those win — and some are marked NA.

14 CFR §91.169

Practical Fuel Planning Tips

Never plan minimum fuel — add a comfortable buffer beyond legal requirements
Account for departure delays, vectors, holds, and missed approaches in fuel planning
Know your aircraft's actual fuel burn at planned altitude and power setting (POH data)
Calculate point of no return and fuel remaining at each waypoint for long flights

FAA-H-8083-15B

Key Takeaways

On IFR low en route charts, blue/green airports have a published approach, brown do not; MEA, MOCA (*), MCA (X), and MRA (R) are flagged along each segment.
OROCA is the big bold grid number — obstacle clearance only, NOT an MEA.
Changeover points (zigzag) mark where you swap to the next VOR on an airway.
Check the Chart Supplement for preferred/TEC routes, takeoff minimums, and alternate minimums before filing.

IFR Low Enroute Chart — What You're Reading

Victor airways (V-routes): Below FL180, defined by VOR radials; numbered (e.g., V16-100)
MEA shown along each airway segment — the primary altitude reference for that leg
MOCA shown with asterisk (*) — obstruction clearance only; nav signal only within 22 NM of VOR
MCA flagged with "X" — minimum crossing altitude at specific fixes where MEA increases
MRA flagged with "R" — minimum reception altitude needed to identify an intersection
Changeover points (COP): Where you switch from one VOR to the next — shown as zigzag symbol on airway

An annotated excerpt from an IFR en route low altitude chart around Portland, Oregon. Callouts identify a Victor airway (V23), the confluence of airways V287, V495 and V500, an MOCA charted as an asterisked altitude (V287 MOCA *3400), a minimum crossing altitude flag (V595 MRA 9300), the crossed-flag symbols marking points where a minimum altitude changes and one where it does not, and the numbering convention — V520 running east and west with an even number, V165 running north and south with an odd number. — One en route chart excerpt carries the whole altitude vocabulary: MOCA as an asterisked altitude, MRA, the symbols marking where a minimum altitude changes, and the odd/even airway numbering convention.
IFH Fig 1-2

AIM 9-1-4 / IFH Ch. 2

Chart Symbols & Features

Airports: Blue or green = a published instrument approach exists; brown = no published approach
NAVAIDs: VOR compass rose, VORTAC box, VOR/DME, NDB; frequencies and identifiers shown
Intersections: Named fixes (triangles); shown at airway crossings with names and radial info
Restricted/Prohibited airspace: Boundaries, altitudes, and controlling agency shown on chart
OROCA (Off-Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude): Large bold numbers in each lat/long grid — NOT an MEA, provides obstacle clearance only
Mileage between fixes: Shown along airway between compulsory and non-compulsory reporting points

AIM 9-1-4

Reading Chart Supplement (A/FD) for IFR

Airport data: Runway lengths, lighting, approaches available, ATIS/AWOS frequencies
Communication frequencies: Approach, departure, ground, tower, CTAF/UNICOM, clearance delivery
Preferred IFR routes: Published city-pair routes that simplify clearance — check before filing
TEC routes: Tower Enroute Control routes for low-altitude IFR within approach control airspace — no center handoff needed
Takeoff minimums: Standard (1 SM for 1-2 engines) unless non-standard published — check the "T" symbol
Alternate minimums: Standard (600-2/800-2) unless non-standard published — check the inverted "A" triangle

Chart Supplement / AIM 5-4-5

Key Takeaways

Read back ALL altitude assignments, hold-short instructions, and clearance limits — required, not optional.
"Expect [altitude]" is for planning only — not a clearance to climb/descend; "Cross [fix] at" is mandatory.
At a non-towered field, mind the void time — depart before it or recontact ATC; only cancel IFR in VMC.
Note the EAC time on any hold — it's your lost-comm trigger; "pilot's discretion" descent lets you pick the rate but you must meet the restriction.

IFR Communication Flow

Clearance delivery → Ground → Tower → Departure → Center(s) → Approach → Tower → Ground
Get your clearance (CRAFT) BEFORE taxi — at non-towered airports, call FSS or clearance delivery frequency
Read back ALL altitude assignments, hold short instructions, and clearance limits — this is required
Acknowledge all other ATC communications — "Roger" or read back confirms you heard it
If you don't understand: Ask ATC to "Say again" — never guess at a clearance
Position reports (non-radar): Station name, time, altitude, ETA next fix, next succeeding fix

AIM 5-3-1 / ACS III

Common ATC Phraseology for IFR

"Cleared to [destination] via [route]" — your route clearance; doesn't mean takeoff clearance
"Climb and maintain [altitude]" — go to and stay at that altitude now
"Expect [altitude] in [time/distance]" — for planning purposes ONLY; not a clearance to that altitude
"Cross [fix] at [altitude]" — a crossing restriction; comply exactly
"Cleared for the [approach name] approach" — you may fly the published procedure
"Cancel IFR" — only do this in VMC; you lose all IFR services and separation
"Unable" — you have the right to refuse any ATC instruction that compromises safety

AIM 5-5-1 / ACS III.A

Non-Towered IFR Procedures

Get clearance on the ground: Clearance delivery freq, FSS (122.2), or phone
"Void time" clearance: "Clearance void if not off by [time]" — you must depart before void time
If you can't make void time: Contact ATC/FSS before the void time to get a new clearance
Release time: "Released for departure" — earliest time you may depart; combine with void time
After takeoff: Contact departure control immediately; squawk assigned code throughout
Canceling IFR at non-towered: Cancel with FSS or ATC — this releases the airspace for other IFR traffic

AIM 5-2-7 / ACS III.A

Handoffs, Vectors & Holds from ATC

Handoff: "Contact [facility] on [frequency]" — switch frequencies, check in with altitude and ATIS code
Vectors: ATC assigns headings for traffic, sequencing, or weather avoidance — comply, but question if safety concern
Expect Approach Clearance (EAC): If told to hold, note the EAC time — critical for lost comm planning
Holding: ATC assigns fix, direction, leg length — you determine entry method
Amended clearance: ATC may amend your route at any time — copy, read back, and update navigation
Pilot discretion descent: "Descend at pilot's discretion" — you choose rate, but must reach the altitude before the restriction point

AIM 5-6-2 / ACS III.B

Key Takeaways

An EFB is NOT a legal weather briefing — still get an official briefing; use the EFB for in-flight situational awareness.
NEXRAD shows precipitation, not clouds or turbulence, and can be 5–15 min old (FIS-B) — never thread radar gaps on the EFB alone.
ForeFlight's profile view and the CIP/FIP icing overlays show hazards along your route altitude — plan altitude around icing layers.
Know each product's refresh rate and watch for stale METARs/TAFs in changing weather.

EFB Weather Tools for IFR Planning

ForeFlight/Garmin Pilot/FlyQ: Overlay METARs, TAFs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, PIREPs, and radar on moving map
ForeFlight Profile View: Shows icing, turbulence, clouds, and freezing level ALONG your route altitude — essential IFR tool
Graphical AIRMETs (G-AIRMETs): Color-coded overlays for IFR, turbulence, icing — snapshot every 3 hours
NEXRAD radar: Shows precipitation intensity, NOT cloud location — gaps between cells are not necessarily clear
Satellite imagery: Infrared shows cloud tops, visible shows cloud coverage — useful for planning around layers
Composite moisture product: Helps visualize where visible moisture exists at various altitudes

AIM 7-1 / ACS I.B

Interpreting EFB Weather Overlays

METAR flight categories: VFR (green), MVFR (blue), IFR (red), LIFR (magenta) — color dots on map
Stale data trap: Check the age of all products — a 2-hour-old METAR in changing weather is dangerous
TAF timeline: Scrub the timeline on EFB to see how weather progresses hour by hour at your destination
Winds aloft: Overlay to identify favorable/unfavorable altitudes; headwind at 6,000 may be tailwind at 10,000
Icing forecast (CIP/FIP): Shows current and forecast icing probability and severity by altitude — plan your altitude around icing layers
PIREPs on map: The most reliable actual-conditions data — look for icing, turbulence, and cloud tops PIREPs along your route

ACS I.B / Risk Management

EFB Limitations & Best Practices

EFB weather is NOT a legal weather briefing — you must still receive an official briefing (or document Leidos/1800wxbrief)
Data latency: Some products update every 5 min (NEXRAD), others every 6 hours (G-AIRMETs) — know the refresh rates
Cellular/data coverage: At altitude, cell signal drops; pre-download weather and route data before departure
ADS-B In weather (FIS-B): Free in-flight weather via ADS-B — NEXRAD, METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, but data can be 5-15 min old
Do not fly through gaps in radar returns based on EFB alone — radar shows precipitation, not turbulence or wind shear
Best practice: Brief on the ground with EFB + official products, then use EFB for in-flight situational awareness updates

AC 91-78 / ACS I.B

Go Deeper

Question about MEA vs MOCA, the 1-2-3 alternate rule, or fuel planning? Ask Kit for a CFI-level explanation.

“Walk me through the IFR alternate requirement and the 1-2-3 rule”

Training aid only — verify all data against your POH and current FAA publications.

Key Takeaways

IFR Route Selection

Departure Procedures

Arrival Planning

Filing Your Flight Plan

Key Takeaways

MEA (Minimum Enroute Altitude)

MOCA (Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude)

MCA, MRA, and Grid MORA

Altitude Selection for IFR

Key Takeaways

IFR Fuel Requirements

Alternate Airport Selection

Practical Fuel Planning Tips

Key Takeaways

IFR Low Enroute Chart — What You're Reading

Chart Symbols & Features

Reading Chart Supplement (A/FD) for IFR

Key Takeaways

IFR Communication Flow

Common ATC Phraseology for IFR

Non-Towered IFR Procedures

Handoffs, Vectors & Holds from ATC

Key Takeaways

EFB Weather Tools for IFR Planning

Interpreting EFB Weather Overlays

EFB Limitations & Best Practices

Key Takeaways

NOTAM Types for IFR

Weather Briefing for IFR

RAIM Prediction