How does IFR work in the real world for small planes?

[briansommers 74]

my goal is to fly IFR in MSFS on VATSIM in the TBM 930.

using Simbrief and/or Navigraph seems overkill to me. I can understand that if you’re flying the tubeliners.

I like Skyvector and Little NavMap.

if filing IFR must I always use a SID & STAR? 

[GearUp180 55]

Hi!

1 hour ago, briansommers said:

using Simbrief and/or Navigraph seems overkill to me. I can understand that if you’re flying the tubeliners.

Pilots on Smaller General Aviation aircraft use similar products such as Foreflight or Garmin Pilot.

1 hour ago, briansommers said:

I like Skyvector and Little NavMap.

I believe that, after inserting the first and last point on the route, Skyvector sometimes inserts automatically SID and STAR. You can also refer to the governmental charts of SIDs and STARs provided by Skyvector to build your route.

Skyvector also offers the recommended or previously filed routes on a given segment (most of the time).

1 hour ago, briansommers said:

if filing IFR must I always use a SID & STAR? 

The purpose of the SIDs and STARs is to provide a transition between the terminal area (close to the airport) and the en-route (airway).

Not using them will be complicated. It also defeats the purpose of flying IFR (flying within a protected volume from other traffic and from the ground). It would be like flying an aircraft but not using the rudder: doable but very complicated.

Flying IFR requires some efforts beyond just ticking a box...

Some PilotEdge workshops on the subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe3HFoEfNTc&list=PLPT_UgYDSwmeLFNALMNa0UDSq7F4wi0JV&index=8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH6CP02EW9I&list=PLPT_UgYDSwmeLFNALMNa0UDSq7F4wi0JV&index=10

Edited November 21, 2021 by GearUp180

[CW46 101]

In the USA unless you are operating in and out of high density metropolitan areas in many cases there would be no need to file a SID or STAR as part of the flight plan route. There are far more airports both controlled and uncontrolled that have no published SID or STAR. You would file to include an initial VOR or a published fix to transition to the enroute structure. Light GA type aircraft operating below 10.000 feet and less than 250kts frankly would not meet the performance requirements required to fly the procedure and would get in the way of fast movers and most likely be radar vectored on departure or arrival in those high density areas or assigned alternate transitions. Flying IFR without using a SID or STAR is no more complicated than using one.

[SAS443 1,738]

2 hours ago, briansommers said:

if filing IFR must I always use a SID & STAR? 

I guess this is depending on where in the world you fly. 🙂

IFR-flightplans within Swedish FIR, you should never include SID / STAR when you file the plan.

(and frankly, I do not see a big reason to use them in single engine GA ops. See @CW46 response above)

[G550flyer 1,052]

3 hours ago, briansommers said:

using Simbrief and/or Navigraph seems overkill to me. I can understand that if you’re flying the tubeliners.

A simple answer would be that you would fly your GA aircraft the same way you would a tubeliner. The main point is that you are IFR and the same rules will apply to you. Lets talk SIDs and STARs for a sec. Their main purpose is for obstruction clearance and traffic flow to ease the workload of ATC. If they assign a SID or STAR, they now know where you will be going. They wouldn't have to spend time vectoring each departing or arriving aircraft. Now, let's consider your GA aircraft. STARs and SIDs will tell you if they are for turbo jets only. They may also have specific instructions for props and turbojets. The aircraft's speed and climb capability is also of consideration. For the most part, you may not be given a STAR or SID as a non jet/turboprop GA aircraft. It's easier for them to just vector you vs having you slow down the traffic flow with your aircraft's speed.