Flying an approach OCAS without a clearance - France

Peter wrote:

So, instead of flying through the LOC (which you must do in the absence of an explicit “cleared for the approach”) I intercepted it and told them so.

Perfectly reasonable – that’s likely what I would have done too.

Peter wrote:

So how does the traffic on the IAP get separated?

Same as with in any class G – by pilot’s self-separating, aided by information from the AFISO at Cherbourgh.

quatrelle wrote:

You can always ask for a RNAV approach via NOSDU if arriving from the north

…and then change to ILS if you prefer/need to use the ILS for the FA. I intend to do the opposite at Friedrichshafen tomorrow – accept an ILS approach to get the reduced track miles, but fly the LPV FA because its smoother.

Peter wrote:

You don’t get handed to him until established.

I can only assume that Deauville would tell you (I was told some years ago by a French pilot of many years that every French ATCO is radar qualified) if somebody else was heading for DIKRO at the same time, but what would they do?

Ok, then it’s Deauville who is responsible for that information.

Somebody needs to decide which of the two (or more) are to orbit for spacing.

The two of you do. Typically what happens is that when you both know about each other, someone will offer to take up a hold, stop descent above the platform altitude or do some other delaying action. Or you talk to each other directly. Of course if one only speaks English and the other only speaks French, then it is a bit more difficult but you could still work it out with the assistance of Deauville.

Honestly, I think your lack of familiarity with this situation makes you see it as more complicated than it really is.

Peter wrote:

This implies Deauville will need to act as a “controller” in cases when two or more pilots cannot agree between themselves, especially if they cannot speak each others’ language.

It implies that Deauville will need to pass each pilot information about what the other one is doing – something which is part of the flight information service. If they really can’t agree then you have a problem, but that is unlikely to happen in practise.

Peter wrote:

in cases when two or more pilots cannot agree between themselves

Agree on what? on who goes first for an approach OCAS in IMC?
As far it goes for me, I will gladly let anyone in a harry go first while I am sitting in the hold or VMC on top

I found the quality of CB & VIS readings from the first pilot to be astonishingly reliable versus what you get from tower or atis

This is common stuff in Scandinavia with many OCAS approaches, and self-separation works fine if we are only two of us, but I think I would run away quickly if we were suddenly three aircraft trying to negotiate the approach airspace.

So, instead of flying through the LOC (which you must do in the absence of an explicit “cleared for the approach”) I intercepted it and told them so.
Perfectly reasonable – that’s likely what I would have done too.

So would I, if not being explicit told by ATC to expect to go through the localiser – what if there is a COM failure and a mountain on the other side of the localiser?