Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Check out Instrument Ground School at flight-insight.com/ifr
Ever heard of an IFR visual departure? ✈️
At San Carlos Airport (KSQL) just southeast of SFO, pilots face one of the most unusual IFR procedures in the U.S. — a charted IFR visual departure. Because San Carlos lies directly beneath the San Francisco Class Bravo shelves and right under the extended centerlines for SFO’s runways 28L and 28R, departures have to stay low, quiet, and clear of heavy jet traffic.
In this video, we break down exactly how this rare procedure works — step by step:
🗺️ Understanding the complex airspace layers around San Carlos
📘 How and where to find the IFR Visual Departure plate (hint: it’s in the Chart Supplement)
🎧 Listening in as the pilot picks up a complex clearance from ATC
🛫 Flying the departure — holding runway heading, turning at the diamond-shaped waterway, and climbing via HELLR to stay within 2 NM of the field
⚠️ Why this departure exists, how it compares to others like Teterboro’s DALTON 2, and what to expect if you’re assigned it
This is a fascinating look at a procedure most IFR pilots never get to fly — one that balances safety, noise abatement, and coordination with SFO’s arrival flow.
Check out Instrument Ground School at flight-insight.com/ifr
Ever heard of an IFR visual departure? ✈️
At San Carlos Airport (KSQL) just southeast of SFO, pilots face one of the most unusual IFR procedures in the U.S. — a charted IFR visual departure. Because San Carlos lies directly beneath the San Francisco Class Bravo shelves and right under the extended centerlines for SFO’s runways 28L and 28R, departures have to stay low, quiet, and clear of heavy jet traffic.
In this video, we break down exactly how this rare procedure works — step by step:
🗺️ Understanding the complex airspace layers around San Carlos
📘 How and where to find the IFR Visual Departure plate (hint: it’s in the Chart Supplement)
🎧 Listening in as the pilot picks up a complex clearance from ATC
🛫 Flying the departure — holding runway heading, turning at the diamond-shaped waterway, and climbing via HELLR to stay within 2 NM of the field
⚠️ Why this departure exists, how it compares to others like Teterboro’s DALTON 2, and what to expect if you’re assigned it
This is a fascinating look at a procedure most IFR pilots never get to fly — one that balances safety, noise abatement, and coordination with SFO’s arrival flow.
