The side-step maneuver is an outlier of IFR flying that we read about but rarely get the opportunity to execute. I bet a fair number of you glanced at the title of this article and thought, "Oh yeah, I forgot about those." That, of course, is why we're here. We're going to remind you of what you may have forgotten, and probably even expand that dusty memory a bit. You've been out playing on a nice day and it's time to head back home. Your airport has parallel runways. The left, shorter runway is primarily used by piston GA and the longer right one is frequented by the kerosene burners. But it's such a nice day that you're not the only one out having fun, and your left runway pattern is full. From your direction, it's just as easy for the controller to feed you to the longer right runway. But, by a couple miles out, he's opened a hole for you on the left and offers it to you. You accept and sidle over and land on your preferred runway.
展开▼
