Each round is a full IFR flight — a departure aerodrome and a separate destination (which always has an LPV or ILS approach), each with its own weather. Decode both, then decide: are you legal to depart, may you commence the approach, will you get in, and do you need an alternate? Some flights are not legal to depart and/or arrive — catch them. Real Canadian airports with generated practice weather — open each field's real plate via the links. Verify every value against the current CARs / CAP.
Departure vs arrival: take-off minima gate the departure (RVR / vis only — no ceiling unless published); the approach ban & landing minima gate the arrival. Take-off minima are mandatory for commercial ops (703 / 704 / 705); private IFR under CAR 602 has none published — confirm the current CARs.
Reg values used (confirm!): approach ban (CAR 602.129) — no continuing past the FAF unless RVR ≥ 1200 ft (or ground vis ≥ ¼ SM where RVR is not reported). Alternate not required (CAR 602.122) when the destination forecast holds at/above ceiling 400 ft above the HAT and vis 1 SM above the approach minimum — thresholds simplified for practice. Airports are real; the weather is generated for practice. The DA / HAT / vis shown are sample values — open the real plate (links above) for the actual minima.
You only need an alternate when the destination forecast is below the CAR 602.122 gate. When you do, your chosen alternate must have a forecast — over your ETA window — at or above these minima, based on the approaches it has:
| The alternate aerodrome has… | Forecast at least |
|---|---|
| Two usable approaches to separate runways, at least one a precision approach | 400-1400 ft & 1 SM |
| One usable precision or APV approachILS, LPV, LNAV/VNAV | 600-2600 ft & 2 SM |
| One usable non-precision approachLNAV, VOR, NDB, LOC | 800-2800 ft & 2 SM |
| No usable instrument approach | VMCforecast must allow descent from the MEA, then approach & land in VMC |
Applying it: the ceiling / vis you need is the fixed floor above, or the approach's published HAT/HAA + 200 / 300 / 400 ft and vis + ½ or 1 SM, whichever is higher. It's checked against the alternate's TAF at your ETA (and TEMPO / PROB dips are treated conservatively). Simplified for practice — verify against the current CARs & CAP.