KLAL Lakeland Linder International — Instrument Checkride Guide

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

Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) sits in the heart of central Florida, approximately 30 nm east of Tampa and 30 nm southwest of Orlando, at 142 ft MSL. The airport has a control tower (Class D airspace) and an on-field VORTAC — Lakeland VORTAC on 116.00 MHz — which anchors both VOR approach procedures and serves as a significant fix on published airways in the region.

Tampa Approach handles all IFR arrivals and departures from KLAL on 120.65 MHz (primary) and 119.9 MHz. Lakeland Tower operates on 124.5 MHz; ground control is 121.4 MHz; ATIS is 118.025 MHz. Under 14 CFR 91.129, two-way radio communication with the tower is required before operating in Class D airspace. The airport lies south of the Tampa Class B airspace shelf, so IFR flights routing toward Tampa will transit Class B coordinated through the IFR clearance.

What instrument approaches are published at KLAL?

KLAL has an extensive approach suite anchored by a Cat II/III ILS and supplemented by RNAV and VOR procedures, sourced from AirNav and verified against current SkyVector chart listings.

Always verify current minima on official FAA charts before flight. The ILS RWY 10 Cat II/III procedure requires aircraft and crew currency — standard Cat I equipment and minimums apply for most general aviation checkride operations.

What is the runway configuration at KLAL?

KLAL operates 3 runways. The primary instrument runway — 10/28 at 8,500 × 150 ft — handles the bulk of IFR traffic and supports the Cat II/III ILS. Runway 5/23 at 5,000 × 150 ft has published RNAV approaches. The turf runway 8/26 (2,208 × 60 ft) has no published instrument approaches.

Runway 10/28 is the default IFR runway in all but the most unusual wind conditions. The ILS glide slope for runway 10 is served by ALSF-2 high-intensity approach lighting with sequenced flashers — one of the highest-capability approach lighting systems published in the general aviation context.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KLAL?

Central Florida's geography places KLAL at the intersection of two sea breeze fronts — one from the Gulf of Mexico to the west and one from the Atlantic to the east. When these converge over the central Florida ridge during summer afternoons, they produce intense thunderstorm activity that is among the most reliable convective weather patterns in the continental United States. Between June and September, afternoon thunderstorms develop almost daily; pilots departing KLAL after 1400 local should have a thorough convective briefing from aviationweather.gov and realistic alternate planning.

Tampa Approach frequently issues ground delays and re-routes during active convective periods. Embedded cells, lightning, and rapidly shifting winds make the Tampa Bay area one of the most demanding IFR environments in the Southeast during summer months. A pilot on a checkride who is unable to articulate a weather decision process during a convective scenario will face direct ACS Task I questioning from the DPE.

Radiation fog is common at KLAL in the cooler months — October through March — especially on calm, clear nights following frontal passage. Morning ceilings of 300–600 ft are not unusual and typically clear by mid-morning. The Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In, held at KLAL each spring, creates a large TFR that effectively closes the airport to transient IFR traffic; check tfr.faa.gov when planning any flight to KLAL in April.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KLAL?

Flying a checkride at KLAL means managing the Tampa Approach control environment, coordinating between tower and approach for transitions, and demonstrating competence on both a precision Cat I ILS and at least one non-precision or RNAV approach. The ILS RWY 10 is the natural anchor for the flight test — the ALSF-2 approach lighting and 8,500 ft runway give the DPE a clear standard against which to evaluate your approach execution and DA discipline.

Expect the DPE to brief the Cat I minima even though the procedure chart also shows Cat II/III lines. Unless your aircraft and you are Cat II/III current and qualified, the Cat I line governs. If the DPE asks why you use Cat I minimums in a Cat II/III certified aircraft, the answer is pilot and aircraft qualification, not airport certification.

The RNAV (GPS) RWY 28 is the standard counter-approach and a natural check on your ability to manage opposite-direction procedures. On short final to runway 28, there is no ALSF-2 — you must acquire the runway threshold environment to descend below MDA, per 14 CFR 91.175(c). The DPE may ask you to compare the visual references required for a precision versus non-precision approach — a core distinction under ACS Area VI.

The Lakeland VORTAC is on the field. Know its identifier, frequency, and how your avionics tune and identify it. If the DPE assigns a VOR approach, expect a question about what you do if the VORTAC fails mid-approach.

Practice Questions

1. On the ILS RWY 10 at KLAL, the chart shows both Cat I and Cat II/III minima. Your aircraft has dual ILS receivers and autopilot, but you have not completed Cat II/III training. Which line of minima applies, and why?

2. The RNAV (GPS) RWY 28 chart at KLAL shows an RNAV (RNP) Z alongside the standard GPS procedure. What is the operational difference, and what does a pilot need to fly the RNP Z procedure legally?

3. Lakeland VORTAC (116.00) loses its NavAid signal mid-approach on the VOR RWY 10. You are at 2,000 ft inbound, 8 nm from the airport. What do you do, and does this constitute a missed approach?

4. You are departing KLAL IFR on a summer afternoon with a convective SIGMET active 30 miles to the northwest along your planned route. Walk the DPE through your go/no-go decision and what alternatives you would present.

5. After a missed approach on the ILS RWY 10, Tampa Approach vectors you for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 23. You have no approach lighting on that runway end. At MDA, you see only the approach end threshold markings. Under 14 CFR 91.175(c), what visual reference is required to continue the descent to land?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KLAL?

KLAL publishes an ILS or LOC to runway 10, an ILS Cat II/III to runway 10, RNAV (GPS) approaches to runways 5, 10, 23, and 28, an RNAV (RNP) Z to runway 28, and VOR approaches to runways 10 and 28. The Lakeland VORTAC (116.00 MHz) is on-field.

Q: What airspace class is Lakeland Linder International Airport?

KLAL operates in Class D airspace with an active tower. Tampa Approach on 120.65 MHz handles IFR arrivals and departures. The airport is located south of the Tampa Class B airspace shelf and requires coordination with Tampa Approach for all IFR flight plans.

Q: What are the runway lengths at KLAL?

KLAL has three runways: 10/28 at 8,500 × 150 ft (primary instrument runway), 5/23 at 5,000 × 150 ft, and a turf runway 8/26 at 2,208 × 60 ft. Only runways 10/28 and 5/23 have published instrument approaches.

Q: What is the ATIS frequency at KLAL?

KLAL ATIS broadcasts on 118.025 MHz. Lakeland Tower operates on 124.5 MHz. Ground control uses 121.4 MHz. Tampa Approach handles IFR services on 120.65 MHz and 119.9 MHz.

Q: Does KLAL have Cat II/III ILS capability?

Yes. KLAL publishes an ILS Cat II/III approach to runway 10 with ALSF-2 approach lighting. Cat II/III operations require special aircraft equipment, crew qualification, and airport authorization — verify currency of the procedure on official FAA charts before flight.

Q: What is the Sun 'n Fun airshow TFR impact on IFR operations at KLAL?

KLAL hosts the annual Sun 'n Fun EAA Fly-In, which triggers a large TFR that effectively closes the airport to non-participating traffic. Pilots planning IFR flights to or from KLAL should check tfr.faa.gov in advance and have alternate routing planned during the Sun 'n Fun period each spring.

Q: What weather hazards should instrument pilots expect at KLAL?

Central Florida's summer thunderstorm season is the dominant IFR hazard at KLAL. Sea breeze convergence between the Gulf and Atlantic coasts produces afternoon convective activity nearly every day from June through September. Morning radiation fog is common in cooler months. Tampa Approach may issue ground stops during active convective periods.

Sources

• AirNav — KLAL Airport Information
• SkyVector — KLAL Instrument Approach Procedures
• 14 CFR 91.129 — Operations in Class D Airspace (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• TFR.faa.gov — FAA TFR Map

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.