KTPF Peter O. Knight — Instrument Checkride Guide

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

Peter O. Knight Airport occupies Davis Islands in Tampa Bay, approximately 2.5 nm southeast of downtown Tampa, at 7 ft MSL. The airport has no control tower — it is non-towered, with CTAF and UNICOM on 122.725 MHz. Despite this, KTPF sits inside the Tampa Class B airspace structure, which means IFR arrivals and departures are handled by Tampa Approach on 119.9 MHz.

The combination of GPS-only approaches, short runways, and Class B proximity makes KTPF a demanding IFR training environment. Pilots cannot assume VFR backup at a GPS-only field when ceilings are at minimums — there is no non-precision approach with ground-based navigation to fall back on if GPS integrity is lost.

What instrument approaches are published at KTPF?

KTPF has 2 published instrument approach procedures, both RNAV (GPS). No ILS, VOR, or NDB approach is published at this airport, per SkyVector.

Because the only published approaches require GPS, KTPF's suitability as a destination or alternate depends entirely on GPS availability and airworthiness. A RAIM failure or GPS outage with ceilings at minimums leaves no instrument approach option.

What is the runway configuration at KTPF?

KTPF has 2 runways, both relatively short by instrument operations standards.

Runway 04/22 at 3,583 ft is the primary instrument runway. Performance planning is essential at this elevation and in Tampa's warm, humid climate — density altitude effects reduce climb performance even at sea level when temperatures exceed ISA. The DPE will evaluate whether you account for the short runway environment in your preflight planning discussion.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KTPF?

KTPF's location on Davis Islands in Tampa Bay places it directly in the path of sea breeze weather patterns. From May through September, afternoon convective thunderstorms develop rapidly over the bay and can reach KTPF within 20–30 minutes of initiation. These storms form too quickly for most TAFs to capture, and KTPF has no ATIS — weather must be obtained from nearby KTPA ATIS (126.45 MHz) or regional AWOS.

Morning radiation fog forms from October through February on clear, calm, post-frontal nights. Bay-effect moisture can push fog density to near-zero visibility, sometimes below the published minima for KTPF's RNAV approaches. Instrument pilots should carry fuel for the alternate and have a realistic Go/No-Go decision framework before departing for KTPF in fog conditions.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KTPF?

KTPF appears in IFR checkride scenarios primarily as a GPS-only departure point in the Tampa Bay triad. The scenario tests several ACS knowledge areas simultaneously: Class B operations awareness, alternate airport selection, GPS approach requirements, and short-field instrument planning.

On departure, the DPE will evaluate whether you coordinate with Tampa Approach correctly, read back all Class B entry elements, and comply with ATC altitude assignments promptly. Because KTPF is non-towered, you must self-announce on 122.725 MHz before taxiing and on all runway calls — even on an IFR clearance.

The alternate planning discussion is a key oral component. Because KTPF has only GPS approaches, you must understand when it can legally serve as an alternate under 14 CFR 91.169 and what the non-precision alternate minimums require. If your destination is KPIE and your alternate is KTPF, the DPE will ask you to justify that selection against the published alternate minimums.

GPS approach technique on runway 22 tests the same ACS standards as any RNAV approach — RAIM check, approach mode selection, altitude monitoring, and DA discipline under 14 CFR 91.175(c). The short runway adds a performance dimension: the DPE will evaluate whether your missed approach is initiated promptly and whether you track the published missed approach procedure precisely.

Practice Questions

1. You are planning a flight from KTPF to KPIE with KTPF as your alternate. What alternate minimums apply to a GPS-only alternate, and under what conditions may KTPF legally serve as your IFR alternate under 14 CFR 91.169?

2. On the RNAV (GPS) RWY 22 approach, your GPS displays RAIM unavailable 10 minutes before the FAF. What are your options, and what does the AIM say about RAIM requirements for approach operations?

3. You are departing KTPF IFR. The clearance includes "maintain 2,000, expect 5,000 ten minutes after departure." ATC does not issue a further climb. At what point may you climb to 5,000, and what regulation governs this?

4. The published RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 at KTPF shows LNAV minima with no LPV line. What does the absence of LPV tell you about the approach geometry, and how does LNAV MDA handling differ from an LPV DA?

5. After a missed approach on the RNAV (GPS) RWY 22, you are in the Tampa Class B at 800 feet. Tampa Approach is not immediately responding. What do you do?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KTPF?

Peter O. Knight Airport (KTPF) has 2 published RNAV (GPS) approaches: RNAV (GPS) RWY 22 and RNAV (GPS) RWY 36. No ILS or VOR approach is published. Pilots must have GPS-capable avionics to fly an instrument approach into KTPF.

Q: What airspace is KTPF in?

Peter O. Knight Airport sits within the Tampa Class B airspace footprint. IFR operations at KTPF require coordination with Tampa Approach on 119.9 MHz. VFR aircraft transiting the Class B must have an ATC clearance under 14 CFR 91.131.

Q: What are the runways at KTPF?

KTPF has 2 runways. Runway 04/22 is 3,583 ft × 100 ft. Runway 18/36 is 2,687 ft × 75 ft. Both are relatively short and require careful performance planning for instrument operations.

Q: What is the CTAF frequency at KTPF?

Peter O. Knight CTAF and UNICOM are both on 122.725 MHz. There is no control tower. IFR pilots contact Tampa Approach on 119.9 MHz for approach services.

Q: What makes KTPF a good checkride scenario airport?

KTPF is a GPS-only destination inside the Tampa Class B footprint. This combination tests alternate planning, Class B operations awareness, and short-field instrument approach technique on runways under 3,600 ft.

Q: Can KTPF serve as an IFR alternate airport?

KTPF can serve as an alternate if forecast weather meets alternate minimums for the published RNAV (GPS) approaches. Because KTPF has no ILS, alternate minimums are based on non-precision approach criteria. Always check current alternate minimums on the approach chart.

Q: What is the elevation of Peter O. Knight Airport?

Peter O. Knight Airport (KTPF) sits at 7 ft MSL on Davis Islands in Tampa Bay. Its extremely low elevation and bay proximity make it susceptible to sea breeze fog and afternoon convective weather common throughout the Tampa Bay region.

Sources

• SkyVector — KTPF Airport Information
• 14 CFR 91.131 — Operations in Class B Airspace (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.169 — IFR Flight Plan: Information Required (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B

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 Editorial Team. Last updated: May 2026. If you spot an inaccuracy, email corrections@mockdpe.org.