- Aug 19, 2025
- 4 min read
iPad to the Rescue: Flying an Instrument Approach in an Emergency
Learn how ForeFlight on your iPad can serve as a last-resort backup in IFR emergencies, and why practicing these procedures in a flight simulator is the safest way to prepare.
In rare but critical scenarios when your panel fails, your iPad running ForeFlight could be your final line of defense, but only in an emergency. While not a certified navigation system, ForeFlight can give you the situational awareness needed to get safely on the ground, provided you’ve practiced ahead of time.
Flying an instrument approach with just the iPad is possible, but it requires training. One of the biggest challenges is learning the proper scan, shifting your eyes back and forth between the iPad and the remaining flight instruments without losing focus. This isn’t something to try for the first time in IMC; it’s a skill that must be built in advance.
That’s why our flight simulator training includes these exact procedures. In our IMC Emergencies course, you’ll practice using ForeFlight for approaches while balancing your scan, staying ahead of the airplane, and making quick decisions. The simulator environment allows for repetition, mistake-driven learning, and a stress-free place to build habits that improve both instrument currency and overall confidence.
ForeFlight’s synthetic vision adds another layer of safety in emergencies. When paired with a CDI, it can help you fly more precisely by showing terrain, obstacles, and a runway-centered perspective, even when your normal panel is unavailable. Just as important, you must verify that the correct leg of your flight plan is active in ForeFlight, since an incorrect selection could send you dangerously off course.
Practicing these skills in a flight school simulator ensures you’re ready for real-world IFR situations. At Solid Ground Aviation, our flight school in Maryland, near Washington DC, specializes in simulator training for pilots seeking to sharpen their emergency procedures, maintain IFR training proficiency, and work toward or maintain an instrument rating.
In a true cockpit emergency, relying on your iPad may be the only option, but with preparation in the simulator, you’ll have the confidence and precision to handle it safely.