Under 14 CFR 135, is IFR flight allowed to depart from an airport without an approved instrument approach? If yes, under what condition?

• A. No, IFR cannot depart
• B. Yes, if the weather at the destination is VFR
• C. Yes, as long as the flight plan includes an alternate airport that meets the alternate weather requirements
• D. Yes, if the pilot obtains special permission from ATC

Answer: (C)

Under IFR operations, you may depart from an airport that has no approved instrument approach as long as you have a valid alternate planned that does have an instrument approach and the forecast weather at that alternate meets the published alternate minimums for your ETA. This requirement ensures there’s a legally usable landing option if conditions at the destination deteriorate or if an approach to the destination isn’t feasible. In short, the flight plan must include an alternate airport with an instrument approach that is forecast to meet the alternate minimums at the expected arrival time.

The other ideas don’t fit because they don’t address the regulatory need for a viable, instrument-equipped alternate. ATC permission isn’t the mechanism for this—as long as the alternate and weather minima are met, IFR departure from an airport without an instrument approach is allowed.