KAGS Augusta GA — Instrument Checkride Guide

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

Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field (KAGS) serves Augusta, Georgia — a mid-sized city on the Georgia-South Carolina border known internationally as the home of the Masters Tournament. Elevation is 144 ft MSL. The airport operates inside Class C airspace and receives commercial airline service alongside general aviation traffic, making it a step up in complexity from the Class D environments typical of smaller instrument training airports.

Under 14 CFR 91.130, pilots must establish two-way radio communication with ATC before entering Class C airspace — on an IFR clearance, this is satisfied when ATC acknowledges your callsign and issues a clearance or instruction. VFR pilots transiting the Augusta Class C on a checkride flight must comply independently. The DPE will evaluate whether the applicant understands the entry, equipment, and communication requirements of Class C.

KAGS has a dedicated clearance delivery frequency (118.65 MHz), tower (118.7 MHz, 0645–2300), ground (121.9 MHz), and approach/departure control on 119.15 and 126.8 MHz. The approach and departure frequencies serve different sectors and may be assigned depending on arrival direction. STARs and SIDs are published, which is uncommon at Class C airports of this size — applicants should be familiar with how to read and brief both types of procedures.

What instrument approaches are published at KAGS?

KAGS has a comprehensive approach suite with precision coverage on the primary runway in both directions, sourced from AirNav.

Having two separate RNAV procedures (Y and Z) for runway 08 indicates different final approach courses, altitudes, or missed approach procedures — verify which is current and brief the correct one. Always use official FAA charts for current minimums. The ILS RWY 17 or ILS RWY 35 will typically be the checkride's primary precision approach.

What is the runway configuration at KAGS?

KAGS operates two runways. The primary runway 17/35 is concrete and grooved at 8,001 ft — long enough for commercial jet operations and well suited for instrument approaches. The crosswind runway 08/26 is asphalt and grooved at 6,001 ft, served by RNAV approaches only.

The concrete primary runway at KAGS is longer and wider than what most instrument rating applicants have trained on at smaller fields. Braking distance, rollout, and runway length awareness all remain relevant even in IFR conditions — briefly note the available runway length during your approach briefing.

What frequencies does KAGS use?

KAGS has two approach frequencies — 119.15 and 126.8 MHz — which serve different sectors. The clearance you receive will specify which frequency to contact on departure; on arrival, approach will hand you off from en route. Monitor ATIS before contacting clearance delivery and report the ATIS letter with your initial call.

What departure procedures are available at KAGS?

KAGS publishes six RNAV departure procedures. These should be part of the IFR flight planning exercise during the checkride oral.

• CHATT SIX (RNAV) — northbound routing toward Chattanooga
• DOVER FIVE (RNAV) — eastern departure routing
• JUNPR SIX (RNAV) — routing toward en route structure to the northeast
• KAOLN SIX (RNAV) — western departure
• RDBUD FOUR (RNAV) — southbound routing
• SAMMI FOUR (RNAV) — routing to the south and southeast

The DPE may assign a specific departure procedure during the oral and ask you to brief it. Know how to identify the applicable transition, read the textual description on the SID plate, and determine whether your aircraft meets any equipment requirements listed on the procedure.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KAGS?

Augusta sits on the fall line separating the Piedmont uplands from the coastal plain, approximately 150 nm inland from the Atlantic coast. This location produces a distinctive weather pattern: radiation fog forms readily on clear, calm nights when the dew point is high — common from September through February. These fog events can reduce visibility to near zero before clearing mid-morning; pilots planning early departures should monitor ATIS carefully and have an alternate plan.

Summer convection in the Augusta area is significant from May through September. Afternoon thunderstorms develop from surface heating and move northeast with the prevailing flow. Lightning and low-level wind shear are the primary hazards; Augusta receives enough convective activity that summer afternoon IFR operations require careful weather evaluation. Obtain a full briefing including convective SIGMETs and area forecasts from NWS Columbia (CAE), which covers the Augusta area.

Cold air damming is a recurring winter phenomenon east of the Appalachians. When a high-pressure system sits northeast of the region, cold air becomes entrenched in the valleys and coastal plain while warmer air overrides aloft — producing prolonged low IFR ceilings with freezing drizzle or freezing rain that can be difficult to forecast precisely. Check icing PIREPs and soundings carefully before winter IFR flights at KAGS.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KAGS?

A checkride at KAGS involves operating in an active Class C environment with commercial airline traffic, which raises the complexity level compared to a Class D field. The DPE will expect you to manage clearance delivery, copy a full IFR clearance with departure procedure, and coordinate with ground and tower while also managing the aircraft. Class C entry and communication compliance under 14 CFR 91.130 is evaluated throughout.

The ILS RWY 17 or ILS RWY 35 will be the primary precision approach. Approach control will provide radar vectors to final in the standard Augusta TRACON sequence. Brief the approach completely — final approach course, FAF altitude, DA, missed approach point, missed approach instructions, and alternate minimums. The DPE may ask you to brief aloud before the approach clearance is issued.

For the non-precision segment, the DPE may assign one of the RNAV (GPS) RWY 08 procedures — Y or Z. Understanding why two procedures exist for the same runway end (different course angles, step-downs, or missed approach instructions) is an evaluable knowledge element. The DPE may ask you to explain the difference between the Y and Z procedures before beginning.

Published STARs at KAGS give the DPE the option to assign an arrival procedure. If a STAR is assigned, brief it the same way you brief an approach — transitions, crossing restrictions, and the expected handoff point to approach control. STARs reduce pilot/controller coordination workload; knowing how to use them efficiently demonstrates ACS Area IV proficiency.

Practice Questions

1. Approach assigns you the RNAV (GPS) Y RWY 08 approach at KAGS. The plate shows two separate procedures — Y and Z — with different minimums. What determines which procedure applies, and how do you confirm you are set up for the correct one?

2. While on vectors to the ILS RWY 35, approach issues a speed restriction of 160 knots to 5 DME. Your approach speed is 90 knots. How do you comply, and what do you say to ATC if you cannot maintain 160 knots to that point?

3. Under 14 CFR 91.130, what equipment is required for operations in Class C airspace? Does your aircraft meet those requirements?

4. You complete the ILS RWY 17 to a full-stop. Tower clears you to runway 35 for a second approach. You must cross the active runway 35 to reach the taxiway. How do you handle the runway crossing, and what is your responsibility under the AIM's runway incursion avoidance guidance?

5. The DPE assigns the STUGE THREE STAR. Your GPS shows the first fix, but you have not received the STAR as part of your IFR clearance. Can you fly the STAR, and under what conditions would ATC expect you to comply with a STAR without an explicit clearance to fly it?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KAGS?

KAGS publishes ILS or LOC approaches to runways 17 and 35, RNAV (GPS) approaches to runways 17, 26, and 35, and two separate RNAV (GPS) procedures for runway 08 (Y and Z designators). The dual ILS gives KAGS precision approach coverage in both directions on the primary runway.

Q: What is the airspace class at Augusta Regional?

KAGS operates inside Class C airspace. Under 14 CFR 91.130, pilots must establish two-way radio communication with ATC before entering Class C. On an IFR clearance, this requirement is met when ATC acknowledges your callsign and issues a clearance or instruction.

Q: What is the ATIS frequency at KAGS?

KAGS ATIS broadcasts on 132.75 MHz. Tower operates on 118.7 MHz from 0645 to 2300 local. Ground is 121.9 MHz. Clearance delivery is on 118.65 MHz. Approach and departure operate on 119.15 and 126.8 MHz.

Q: What runways are available at KAGS?

KAGS has two runways: 17/35 (8,001 ft × 150 ft, concrete/grooved) and 08/26 (6,001 ft × 100 ft, asphalt/grooved). The concrete primary runway at over 8,000 ft handles commercial airline operations. Runway 08/26 is the crosswind runway with RNAV approaches.

Q: What weather hazards should pilots expect at KAGS?

Augusta's inland coastal plain location produces radiation fog in autumn and winter. Summer convection is intense, with afternoon thunderstorms common from May through September. The Augusta area is also susceptible to cold air damming east of the Appalachians, which can produce prolonged periods of low IFR ceilings with freezing drizzle in winter.

Q: What departure procedures are published at KAGS?

KAGS publishes six RNAV departure procedures: CHATT SIX, DOVER FIVE, JUNPR SIX, KAOLN SIX, RDBUD FOUR, and SAMMI FOUR. These route departing IFR traffic around Augusta Class C airspace and toward en route airways.

Q: Does KAGS have STARs for arriving IFR traffic?

Yes. KAGS publishes the STUGE THREE and STWRT THREE Standard Terminal Arrival Routes. These procedures route arriving IFR traffic from en route structure to the Augusta terminal area. The DPE may assign a STAR on the checkride to test your ability to brief and fly an arrival procedure.

Sources

• AirNav — KAGS Airport Information
• SkyVector — KAGS Instrument Approach Procedures
• 14 CFR 91.130 — Operations in Class C Airspace (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• NWS Columbia (CAE) — 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.