IFR approach outside of tower hours

@Cttime

So you essentially become uncontrolled IFR and you do whatever you want. Like VFR in IMC but legal. About the ILS, it’s true. I have been at ESTL for practice when the tower was closed the ILS was gone too.

Cttime wrote:

So the supervisor I exchanged email with says that their regulations don’t allow them to issue clearances in Class G airspace. What they will do if someone wanted to make an approach at an uncontrolled airport [we used ESGT in our example] would be they would clear the aircraft down to 5000 ft or lower (or flight planned altitude) towards the beacon. When approaching uncontrolled airspace they will terminate radar service and report any traffic they see, then clear you to descend and remain outside of controlled airspace (maintaining own separation/obstacle clearance).

This is all to be expected. The crucial questions is what the “lower” actually means. Will they clear you to descent out of controlled airspace even though this means a clearance below the MVA?

Cttime wrote:

The MVA there is in controlled airspace with the tower open but below when closed. Wouldn’t it be like this in most cases?

In many cases, yes, but not all, such as in my ESSP example above. Also with ESSU.

Anyway, I’ve just checked with an ESOW TWR ATCO and he says they’re happy to clear aircraft for approaches into ESSU even when that AFIS is closed, which is very good. He does say they can’t technically clear you for the ILS since it has to be monitored so they just clear you “for the approach” and it’s none of their business if you’re actually making an NDB or an ILS approach. :-)

Airborne_Again wrote:

I’ve just checked with an ESOW TWR ATCO and he says they’re happy to clear aircraft for approaches into ESSU even when that AFIS is closed, which is very good. He does say they can’t technically clear you for the ILS since it has to be monitored so they just clear you “for the approach” and it’s none of their business if you’re actually making an NDB or an ILS approach. :-)

That is a very customer-friendly approach.

It is good that the discussion was restricted to Sweden early since that has made it very focused and useful info for everyone planning flights into Sweden. Handling of the situation varies considerably by country and this type of subject can often become very diluted and wide-ranging due to the diverse national regs (EASA notwithstanding).