In which scenarios would a pilot file a flight plan that includes an alternate airport?

• A. Only for VFR at night.
• B. For both IFR and certain VFR operations to ensure a backup destination if the planned arrival cannot be completed.
• C. Only for practice flights within a local area.
• D. When flying with a twin-engine aircraft only.

Answer: (B)

Having an alternate airport in a flight plan is about planning a backup landing site in case the original destination becomes unusable. This is a safety-minded step that helps you stay prepared for weather, delays, or other factors that could prevent you from reaching the planned arrival.

For IFR flights, this backup is effectively part of the standard planning process. You file an alternate to ensure you have a confirmed destination you can land at if conditions at the primary destination aren’t suitable or if an instrument approach isn’t feasible.

Some VFR operations also involve including an alternate, especially for longer cross-country trips or routes where weather or visibility could deteriorate, so you have a reliably accessible landing option if the planned arrival can’t be completed.

So the best answer reflects that alternates are used for both IFR and certain VFR operations to ensure a backup destination if the planned arrival cannot be completed. The other options don’t fit because alternates aren’t limited to night VFR, not restricted to practice flights, and aren’t determined by aircraft type like twin-engine vs single-engine.