approach questions...

[adreamer]

Well, here is the situation. The airport I instruct has only one approach. However, this particular approach is not authorized after FAA found out a mistake. However, the approach is still published.

I am wondering about is it possible ask for cruising clearance along with contact approach into the airport? The wx is MVFR. The ceiling is about 1500 AGL, 4 SM.

Thanks in advance.

[meritflyer]

Originally Posted by adreamer

Well, here is the situation. The airport I instruct has only one approach. However, this particular approach is not authorized after FAA found out a mistake. However, the approach is still published.

I am wondering about is it possible ask for cruising clearance along with contact approach into the airport? The wx is MVFR. The ceiling is about 1500 AGL, 4 SM.

Thanks in advance.

AIM 5-4-24

3. The contact approach will be made to an airport having a standard or special instrument approach procedure.

So, I'd say no for the contact. But a visual approach only requires 3 SM vis and a 1000' ceiling so if the weather is what you describe, just take the visual.

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by adreamer

I am wondering about is it possible ask for cruising clearance along with contact approach into the airport? The wx is MVFR. The ceiling is about 1500 AGL, 4 SM.

Thanks in advance.

You can get a cruise clearance because there is no requirement to have an instrument approach at the destination airport. You do not need an additional approach clearance.

However, as MeritFlyer said, a contact approach requires an operating IAP, so you probably cannot use those operating rules to get into the airport

I'd say you'd have to stay at IFR altitudes until you were able to conduct a visual approach.

[adreamer]

my thinking was to get a cruise clearance to destination airport and then descend below the cloud (using not authorized approach as guideline.) Once we broke out, I can either ask for contact approach or good ole visual approach.

[tgrayson]

Originally Posted by adreamer

my thinking was to get a cruise clearance to destination airport and then descend below the cloud (using not authorized approach as guideline.) Once we broke out, I can either ask for contact approach or good ole visual approach.

<<using not authorized approach as guideline.>>

I suspected that was what you had in mind. I believe you would be in violation of 91.175(a) and 91.177 if you did that.

§ 91.175 Takeoff and landing under IFR.
(a) Instrument approaches to civil airports.
Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, when an instrument letdown to a civil airport is necessary, each person operating an aircraft, except a military aircraft of the United States, shall use a standard instrument approach procedure prescribed for the airport in part 97 of this chapter.


§ 91.177 Minimum altitudes for IFR operations.
(a) Operation of aircraft at minimum altitudes. Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft under IFR below -
(1) The applicable minimum altitudes prescribed in Parts 95 and 97 of this chapter; or
(2) If no applicable minimum altitude is prescribed in those parts -
(i) In the case of operations over an area designated as a mountainous area in part 95, an altitude of 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4 nautical miles from the course to be flown; or
(ii) In any other case, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 4 nautical miles from the course to be flown.



Since the approach is not authorized, you do not have a valid means of descending from minimum enroute altitudes.

[adreamer]

Well, I actually did shoot an ILS approach to another airport near by, then fly VFR back to the airport I departed.

Thanks for the tips

[exleardriver]

Originally Posted by adreamer

Well, I actually did shoot an ILS approach to another airport near by, then fly VFR back to the airport I departed.

Thanks for the tips

this very action is brought up in the aim with respect to a contact approach per 5-4-24(c)..it is not intended for use by a pilot on an ifr flight clearance to operate to an airport not having a published and functioning iap. nor is it intended for an aircraft to conduct an instrument approach to one airport and then, 'when in the clear', discontinue that approach and proceed to another airport in the execution of a contact approach..

this is clearly not a practice that the faa wishes to see an ifr aircraft try to accomplish, but flying a nearby approach, canceling ifr when clear of clouds, etc. and then breaking off under vfr may be acceptable. you would then be responsible for your own obstruction clearance and still have to meet the requirements of 91.155(a) for visibility and cloud clearance depending upon the type airspace the vfr portion is conducted in..

i say 'may' be acceptable because i've heard this very issue debated for about 20 years. i'd say that if the approach permits a descent from an ifr altitude through a layer that's 'relatively high' and you have the visibility that it's okay. problems arise when the layer is particularly low and you need to 'scud run'to get to your home airport..then you risk any combination of 91.15, 91.119 and 91.155 violations.

[SIUav8er]

why would the approach still be published if it is not authorized?

[exleardriver]

Originally Posted by SIUav8er

why would the approach still be published if it is not authorized?

without knowing the specific airport/approach, perhaps it was published and later not authorized as reported through a notam (d) and/or fdc notam.