KADS Addison Airport TX — Instrument Checkride Guide

What kind of airport is KADS and what is its IFR environment?

Addison Airport (KADS) is a general aviation reliever airport located 9 nm north of downtown Dallas, Texas, operating within the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Class B airspace. Elevation is 644 ft MSL. The airport has a control tower staffed from 0600 to 2200 local, a separate clearance delivery frequency, and approach services through the DFW TRACON's Lone Star Approach facility on 124.3 MHz.

Operating at KADS means operating inside Class B airspace from the moment you depart the ramp. Under 14 CFR 91.131, an explicit ATC clearance is required before entering Class B — on an IFR clearance from KADS, that authorization is embedded in your departure routing. You must not depart until you have an IFR clearance and, implicitly, Class B authorization in hand. VFR pilots at KADS also require an explicit Class B clearance, which is a common oral exam topic in this environment.

The DFW TRACON manages one of the busiest airspace blocks in the United States. Even as a general aviation airport, KADS IFR traffic is sequenced alongside airline operations at DFW and Love Field. Expect tight altitude restrictions on departure and precise intercept headings on arrival. Communication discipline — correct phraseology, prompt readbacks, no dead air — is evaluated from the first radio call.

What instrument approaches are published at KADS?

KADS has a notably strong approach suite for a single-runway general aviation airport, sourced from AirNav.

Having ILS approaches to both ends of a single runway is uncommon at general aviation airports — it reflects KADS's role as a high-activity reliever in one of the nation's busiest terminal areas. The DPE may assign either ILS based on wind and traffic flow, and may specifically choose the opposite direction from the prevailing wind to test approach briefing flexibility.

What is the runway configuration at KADS?

KADS operates a single runway, 16/34, at 7,203 ft × 100 ft with a grooved asphalt surface in good condition. At over 7,200 ft, it exceeds the length requirements of virtually all general aviation aircraft used for instrument training and checkrides.

Prevailing south to southeast winds in north Texas favor runway 16 for landing in most conditions. Cold fronts reverse the flow and favor runway 34. The DPE will coordinate with tower; applicants should be prepared to brief either ILS without hesitation.

What frequencies does KADS use?

KADS has a dedicated clearance delivery frequency — a sign of the complexity of operations within the DFW Class B. Pilots must contact clearance delivery before engine start or taxi to obtain their IFR clearance. Attempting to depart on a VFR squawk without a clearance inside Class B is a serious regulatory violation under 14 CFR 91.131.

What departure procedures are available at KADS?

KADS has a rich set of published RNAV departure procedures that route traffic through and around the DFW Class B. Knowing how to read and brief an RNAV SID is an evaluable skill under ACS Area V.

• BOTCH TWO — routes northwest around the DFW core
• DALLAS FOUR — direct departure routing for southbound traffic
• GARLAND SIX — northeast routing through the Class B shelf
• JOE POOL EIGHT — southwest departure
• KINGDOM FIVE — northbound routing
• KUSSO THREE — eastbound routing
• NANDR FOUR — northwest routing
• TEXOMA FIVE — north routing toward the Red River
• WORTH ONE — westbound departure

The DPE may assign a specific departure procedure and ask you to brief it from the chart. Understand which transitions apply, what the climb gradient requirement is (if any), and what frequency to expect for the first en route sector.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KADS?

The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex sits in one of the most meteorologically active regions of North America. Spring — March through May — is peak severe weather season for north Texas. Supercell thunderstorms tracking northeast across the region can produce large hail, damaging straight-line winds, and tornadoes. KADS has been affected by severe weather requiring temporary flight restriction (TFR) activity during significant events. Instrument pilots departing or arriving KADS in spring must obtain a full convective briefing from NWS Fort Worth (FWD) and file alternates with genuine weather diversity.

Summer convection in north Texas builds during afternoon and evening hours as surface heating intensifies. Isolated cells can develop rapidly, and the dense urban heat island around Dallas extends the convective window into the late evening. Pilots planning afternoon departures from KADS should monitor real-time radar and have a divert plan.

Winter presents the ice storm hazard: when Arctic air masses push south into Texas and Gulf moisture overrides at low levels, widespread freezing rain can accumulate on aircraft and runways within hours. These events are particularly dangerous because they can begin as rain and transition to freezing rain without a clear visual change. Check all PIREPs and freezing level data carefully before winter IFR operations at KADS.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KADS?

A checkride at KADS is a genuine Class B airport experience — not a simulation. The DPE will expect you to handle clearance delivery, taxi to the runway, copy an IFR clearance with departure procedure, and depart into active DFW TRACON airspace. Controllers will issue altitude restrictions specific to the Class B departure sequence, and you must comply precisely.

The ILS to runway 16 or 34 is the standard precision approach for the checkride. Approach will provide radar vectors to final and issue the approach clearance. In the DFW terminal area, radar vectors are typically tight — you may be turned onto final 5 to 8 nm from the runway rather than the 10–12 nm common at less busy airports. Configuring the aircraft and briefing the approach while simultaneously complying with ATC heading and altitude assignments is the core task-management test at KADS.

Missed approach in Class B airspace requires immediate execution and a prompt call to approach control. Controllers expect you to state "missed approach" immediately after initiating the climb, not after reaching missed approach altitude. The DPE will note whether the missed approach was immediate and flown to published instructions under 14 CFR 91.175(e).

The DPE may also ask you to demonstrate raw-data ILS tracking using only the CDI and altimeter while the flight director is covered or disabled — a core competency under ACS Task VI.B. In a glass cockpit aircraft, this tests whether you can maintain course and glidepath without relying on command bars or autopilot coupling.

Practice Questions

1. Clearance delivery at KADS issues your IFR clearance with the DALLAS FOUR departure. You copied an initial altitude of 3,000 ft but your cruise altitude is 7,000 ft. When can you climb above 3,000 ft, and who authorizes that climb?

2. On the ILS RWY 34, you notice the glideslope flag appears at 1,500 ft AGL. You are VMC. Walk the DPE through your decision — continue the approach using localizer only, or execute a missed approach?

3. Under 14 CFR 91.131, what equipment and communication requirements apply to Class B operations? Does your aircraft meet them?

4. After landing on runway 34, ground instructs you to hold short of runway 16/34 intersection. You read back "hold short of 16/34." Is that readback adequate? What does the AIM say about runway hold-short instructions?

5. You are filed IFR KADS to KACT (Waco). Your route passes through the DFW Class B airspace. Describe how your IFR clearance addresses Class B entry requirements, and what happens if ATC amends your route to avoid DFW traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KADS?

KADS publishes ILS or LOC approaches to both runway 16 and runway 34, plus RNAV (GPS) approaches to both runway ends. The dual ILS capability is notable for a general aviation reliever airport, providing precision guidance in both directions on the single runway.

Q: What is the airspace class at Addison Airport?

KADS sits inside the Dallas/Fort Worth Class B airspace. Under 14 CFR 91.131, an explicit ATC clearance is required before entering Class B. On an IFR clearance from KADS, that clearance is embedded in your departure routing — you do not request Class B entry separately.

Q: What is the ATIS frequency at KADS?

KADS ATIS broadcasts on 133.4 MHz. Tower operates on 126.0 MHz from 0600 to 2200 local. Ground control is 121.6 MHz. Clearance delivery is on 119.55 MHz. Lone Star Approach handles arrivals and departures on 124.3 MHz.

Q: What is the runway configuration at KADS?

KADS has a single runway, 16/34, measuring 7,203 ft × 100 ft with a grooved asphalt surface in good condition. Despite having only one runway, both ends have published ILS approaches — an unusual feature for a general aviation reliever airport.

Q: What departure procedures are available at KADS?

KADS has numerous published RNAV departure procedures including BOTCH TWO, DALLAS FOUR, GARLAND SIX, JOE POOL EIGHT, KINGDOM FIVE, KUSSO THREE, NANDR FOUR, TEXOMA FIVE, and WORTH ONE. These procedures route traffic through and around the DFW Class B airspace.

Q: What weather hazards should pilots expect at KADS?

North Texas convective weather is significant in spring and fall. Supercell thunderstorms, large hail, and tornadoes are possible from March through May. Summer brings afternoon pop-up convection. Winter ice storms occur when Arctic air undercuts Gulf moisture, producing hazardous freezing rain.

Q: How does KADS differ from nearby DFW and DAL for IFR operations?

KADS is a Class B reliever airport with its own tower and clearance delivery — it handles IFR traffic independently within the DFW TRACON structure. Unlike DFW (Class B core) or DAL (Love Field, Class B), KADS is not a commercial service airport, making it a more accessible IFR training and checkride environment.

Sources

• AirNav — KADS Airport Information
• SkyVector — KADS Instrument Approach Procedures
• 14 CFR 91.131 — Operations in Class B Airspace (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• NWS Fort Worth (FWD) — Terminal Forecasts

This article was researched from FAA primary sources (ACS, FAR/AIM, Advisory Circulars, Instrument Flying Handbook), approach procedure data from AirNav and SkyVector, and citing current 14 CFR Part 91 — drafted by MockDPE. Last updated: May 2026. If you spot an inaccuracy, email corrections@mockdpe.org.