14 CFR Part 91 IFR Alternate Airports by Will Sussman | 13 May 2011

Start here. Follow this flowchart to

determine if you need an alternate
and if your filed alternate is legal.

Does the destination have an

instrument approach?
Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (b) (1)

NO

YES
Will the WX at the destination at +/1 hr of the ETA be at least 2000-3?*
Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (b) (2) (i)

You are done.

NO

YES
Become familiar with ALTERNATIVES
available if the planned flight cannot
be completed. Ref: 14 CFR 91.103

NO

Will it be possible to descend from

the MEA and land under basic VFR?

An alternate is NOT required.

Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (b)
NO

Do you want to file an alternate

anyway?

NO

Does the filed alternate have at least

one published instrument approach?

An alternate IS required.
Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (b)
YES

YES
You must determine if the airport
may be filed as an alternate based
on this approach.

YES
You may file this airport as an
alternate. Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (c) (2)
You are done.

Check NOTAMs! NOTAMs can affect

many of these answers.
YES

*Note: Use a combination of

reports and forecasts to
determine if the weather meets
14 CFR 91.169 requirements.
Use a TAF for airports covered
by a TAF. Use the Area Forecast
for airports not covered by a
TAF.

Is the approach noted Alternate NA?

NO

NO

Can you comply with any

nonstandard alternate minimums?

NO

Will the WX at ETA at the alternate

be at least 800-2?*
Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (c) (1) (i) (B)

YES
NO

Is this a precision approach? (WAAS

approaches are non-precision.)
Ref: AIM 1-1-20 b. 1. & 1-1-20 c. 7.

YES

YES
NO

Will the WX at ETA at the alternate

be at least 600-2?*
Ref: 14 CFR 91.169 (c) (1) (i) (A)

A filed alternate must be legal

regardless of whether it is required.

You are done.

YES

YES

You may file this airport as an

alternate.
Is this a GPS approach?
NO
Does the approach require
DME or ADF?

NO

YES
NO

Do you have WAAS?

Ref: AIM 1-1-19 g. & 1-1-20 c. 7.

NO

Do you have an actual DME or ADF

as appropriate? Ref: FAA IFH 7-29

YES

Are there other approaches at this

airport that you have not checked?

YES

YES
NO

Do aircraft WAAS limitations permit

filing an alternate based on the use
of GPS? (This is prohibited in the
C-172 NAV III).
You may not file this airport as an
alternate based on this approach.

YES

Check the next approach.

NO
You may NOT file this airport as an
alternate.

Find a different alternate.