FAA Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA)Regulations and CurrencyMedium
An airport a pilot wants to use as an alternate has only a published nonprecision approach procedure — no precision approach is available. No special alternate minimums are listed on the chart. What are the standard alternate minimums that apply for filing this airport as an alternate?
- A600-foot ceiling and 2 statute miles visibility
- B800-foot ceiling and 2 statute miles visibility
- C400-foot ceiling and 1 statute mile visibility
- D1,000-foot ceiling and 1 statute mile visibility
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. 800-foot ceiling and 2 statute miles visibility
Standard alternate minimums are 600-2 for airports with a precision approach and 800-2 for airports with only a nonprecision approach. Since this airport has only a nonprecision approach, 800-2 applies.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Incorrect — 600-2 applies only when a precision approach is published.
- C. Incorrect — far below standard alternate minimums.
- D. Incorrect — not a standard alternate minimum value.
Standard Alternate Minimums
Default alternate weather minimums are 600-2 for airports with a precision approach and 800-2 for airports with only a nonprecision approach, unless the chart specifies otherwise.
- 600-2 = precision approach available
- 800-2 = nonprecision approach only
- Charted 'NA' or specific alternate minima override the standard
Memory trick: 6 for precision, 8 for none — remember 600/800 by the approach type.