How Pilots Find the Correct Airport

When I was flying at Zantop International Airlines, we often flew visual approaches or instrument approaches. Instrument approaches are used when you cannot see the ground because of weather, and visual approaches may be used when you can see the airport very clearly. There are rules to define each use. Recently pilots of a Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter oversize cargo aircraft landed at the wrong airport. It must have been very embarrassing and very costly for their careers. Personally, I see their error, but in light of their personal losses, I grieve for them. In order to avoid landing at the wrong airport, pilots generally use an instrument approach procedure as a redundant method to verify they are landing at the correct airport. If a published approach is not available for a particular runway at the arrival airport, navigational aids are used to verify the airport is the correct airport. In addition, pilots often remain on an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan as long as possible to keep Air Traffic Control engaged and part of their navigation decision-making process. Captain David K Campbell