KWDR Barrow County Airport — Instrument Checkride Guide

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

Barrow County Airport (KWDR) is a public-use, uncontrolled airport located approximately 3 miles east of Winder, Georgia, at 934 ft MSL. It lies in the north Georgia foothills, roughly 40 nm northeast of Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (KATL). There is no operating control tower; the CTAF is 123.0 MHz and pilots use self-announce procedures in the traffic pattern.

Atlanta Approach (TRACON) provides IFR radar services to KWDR from 0615 to 2200 local time on 132.475 MHz. Outside those hours, pilots must coordinate with Jacksonville ARTCC for IFR services. An AWOS-3 on 118.575 MHz provides automated weather observations. Because KWDR has no ATIS, pilots must monitor the AWOS and obtain a standard weather briefing before any IFR operation.

KWDR appears in MockDPE scenarios primarily as the alternate in the North Georgia triad (KRYY departing, KAHN destination). Its combination of an ILS and uncontrolled airport status makes it one of the more realistic and challenging alternates a north Georgia IFR student will encounter — requiring solid knowledge of both precision approach procedures and uncontrolled airport communication protocol.

What instrument approaches are published at KWDR?

KWDR publishes 4 instrument approach procedures as listed on SkyVector. The ILS or LOC RWY 31 is the only precision approach; the three RNAV (GPS) procedures are non-precision.

Always verify current minima on official FAA charts before flight. The LOC-only line on the ILS or LOC RWY 31 publishes a higher MDA than the ILS DA. The RNAV procedures may publish LNAV+V advisory vertical guidance if the procedure is so annotated — this is not equivalent to LPV and does not change the MDA.

What is the runway configuration at KWDR?

KWDR operates 2 runways. Runway 13/31 is the primary IFR runway at 5,505 feet long by 100 feet wide, hosting the ILS and two of the three RNAV approaches. Runway 05/23 is a crosswind runway at 3,607 feet long by 100 feet wide, serving only the RNAV (GPS) RWY 23.

The 5,505-foot Runway 13/31 is adequate for most piston singles and light twins under normal IFR conditions. Runway 05/23 at 3,607 feet is short for IFR operations in marginal conditions or with a heavy load; pilots should evaluate runway length carefully against performance data.

What are the IFR communication procedures at an uncontrolled airport like KWDR?

Operating IFR into an uncontrolled airport introduces communication requirements that differ significantly from tower-controlled operations. At KWDR, there is no tower to provide traffic sequencing or landing clearance. Instead, pilots are responsible for self-announcing their position and intentions on the CTAF (123.0 MHz) throughout the approach.

Under 14 CFR 91.126, pilots operating to or from an uncontrolled airport must comply with traffic pattern procedures and give way to aircraft already established in the pattern. On an IFR approach, Atlanta Approach will cancel your IFR clearance when the airport is in sight or when you report the field in sight; at that point you transition to visual traffic pattern procedures and continue self-announcing on 123.0 MHz.

If the airport remains IMC, Atlanta Approach will keep you on the IFR clearance through the missed approach point. After a missed approach, the controller expects an immediate transmission on the approach frequency (132.475 MHz) with your intentions. Do not switch to CTAF before the missed approach is established.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KWDR?

North Georgia's piedmont and foothills terrain creates localized weather hazards that differ from airports in the coastal plain. Valley fog forms readily in the Apalachee River lowlands near Winder on clear, calm autumn and winter nights — the terrain channels cool, dense air into low-lying areas and can drop ceilings to a few hundred feet by early morning. This fog typically lifts by mid-morning but can persist into the afternoon under overcast.

KWDR's elevation of 934 ft MSL means icing levels are reached at lower altitudes than at coastal Georgia airports. In winter, the freezing level may sit at 2,000–3,000 ft MSL over north Georgia during cold-air intrusions, making icing a real factor on even short IFR departures. Pilots should obtain PIREPs and check the Icing SIGMET at aviationweather.gov before any winter IFR flight in the area.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KWDR?

In MockDPE scenarios, KWDR most often appears as the alternate airport in the North Georgia triad. The examiner's oral focus for this scenario typically includes MDA versus DA, self-announce procedures, and how radar services change when you transition from controlled to uncontrolled airspace.

A common DPE question sequence: "You shoot the ILS RWY 31 at KWDR and break out at 500 feet AGL with the runway in sight. At what point does your IFR clearance terminate, and what do you do if the runway disappears before you land?" This tests understanding of 14 CFR 91.175(c) — the required visual references for continued descent — as well as the mechanics of canceling IFR in flight at an uncontrolled airport.

The terrain context also prompts altitude questions. The MEA on published airways in the area may exceed what pilots flying the flat coastal plain are accustomed to. The DPE may ask why the MOCA differs from the MEA, and under what circumstances an aircraft may descend to MOCA — a knowledge element in ACS Task I.A.

Practice Questions

1. You are cleared for the ILS or LOC RWY 31 approach at KWDR. Atlanta Approach cancels your IFR clearance when you report the runway in sight at 800 ft AGL. You enter the traffic pattern. Another aircraft announces it is on a 2-mile final for Runway 31. What do you do?

2. You break out on the ILS RWY 31 at exactly DA and see only the approach lighting system. Under 14 CFR 91.175(c), can you continue descending? How far?

3. After a missed approach on the RNAV (GPS) RWY 13, Atlanta Approach is closed (2200 local). How do you obtain further IFR clearance, and whom do you contact?

4. The AWOS at KWDR reports 400 ft overcast, visibility 1 mile. The ILS minima are DA 200 ft and visibility 1/2 mile. Your alternate requirements for the filed destination require KWDR to have forecast ceilings and visibilities above ILS alternate minimums. Does KWDR meet alternate minimums? What source do you use to determine alternate minimums?

5. You are flying the RNAV (GPS) RWY 31 with LNAV+V guidance active on your GPS. At the MDA, the runway is not in sight. You have LNAV+V advisory glidepath on the PFD. Under 91.175, what is your obligation?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KWDR?

KWDR publishes 4 instrument approach procedures: an ILS or LOC to Runway 31, and RNAV (GPS) approaches to runways 13, 23, and 31. The ILS RWY 31 is the only precision approach. KWDR is an uncontrolled airport — no ATC tower operates on the field.

Q: Is KWDR a controlled or uncontrolled airport?

KWDR is an uncontrolled airport with no operating control tower. CTAF is 123.0 MHz. Atlanta Approach provides IFR radar services from 0615 to 2200 local on 132.475 MHz. Outside those hours, Jacksonville ARTCC provides services on published enroute frequencies.

Q: What is the AWOS frequency at KWDR?

KWDR has an AWOS-3 broadcasting on 118.575 MHz. AWOS-3 provides wind, altimeter, temperature, dewpoint, visibility, and sky condition. It does not provide NOTAMs or remarks — always obtain a full weather briefing before an IFR flight to KWDR.

Q: What is the elevation at Barrow County Airport?

Barrow County Airport (KWDR) is located at 934 ft MSL near Winder, Georgia. The foothills terrain in this part of north Georgia elevates the MSL altitude compared to airports in the Georgia coastal plain.

Q: What ACS tasks does a KWDR checkride scenario typically emphasize?

KWDR appears as an alternate in the North Georgia scenario (KRYY to KAHN). Its non-precision-dominant approach suite and uncontrolled status make it ideal for MDA vs. DA discussions, self-announce procedures at an uncontrolled airport, and position reporting on the CTAF under ACS Areas I and VI.

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

North Georgia foothills terrain can generate low clouds against ridgelines during onshore flow. Valley fog forms in the Apalachee River lowlands near Winder on clear, calm nights. The terrain elevation (934 ft MSL) means icing becomes relevant at lower altitudes than coastal Georgia airports.

Q: Does KWDR have an ILS approach?

Yes. The ILS or LOC RWY 31 is published at KWDR, making it a precision-capable alternate despite being an uncontrolled county airport. A LOC-only line of minima is also published for when ILS is unavailable.

Sources

• SkyVector — KWDR Barrow County Airport
• 14 CFR 91.126 — Operating on or in the Vicinity of an Airport in Class G Airspace (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• FAA Instrument ACS (IRA)
• Aviation Weather Center — aviationweather.gov

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