When or at what point do you request a specific approach from Radar/Approach?
Until now it’s always the “cleared for ILS xy” from ATC … and then I go “request RNAV xy” … because I will always prefer an LANV/VNAV or LPV to an ILS.
How do you do that?
During training we always did it like this: when contacting the approach frequency given on the chart say “XXX Approach, HB-XXX, PA34, FL080, Information F on board and we have a program to go”. Then wait and the approach would say “Go ahead with the program” to which we answered with “Request one RNAV 24 approach with standard line up followed by a standard missed approach and radar vectors for an ILS 24”.
So my assumption is you could just request it during your initial call maybe directly: “XXX Approach, HB-XXX, PA34, FL080, Information F on board. Request an RNAV 24 approach”.
The more experienced guys can say how they do it.
Here in the US, I request the RNAV and the fix I wish to join the approach at. If ATC agrees, then it is easy to have it programmed. So for me, I would say something like this:
Bonanza 83N requests the RNAV RWY 2 at Rock Hill and to join the approach at CONEL.
Thanks, that’s what I’ll try the next time. I have not much experience with RNAV approaches yet (got WAAS last week) so I wonder if they’ll let me join an ARNAV approch at the FAF or one waypoint before the FAF.
I just tell them what approach I want when I call up Approach:
Nxxxxx have Kilo 1028 request radar vectored ILS runway 13
Here is a case I had recently which might be an interesting topic:
Flying from Zurich to Donaueschingen with a filed route of LSZH ZUE TRA TRA3D EDTD I was at FL060 approaching ZUE when I get direct to TD003 (which is the IF for the approach) keeping FL060. At about 8-10nm before TD003 still at FL060 I get cleared for the RNAV 36. Currently flying almost 360 degrees makes the approach a direct straight in but I am too high and that makes me very fast in the descent. It is doable but you have to be careful.
Talking with a FI later he told me that I was supposed to fly to TD003 then continue at FL060 to DONET and make the full approach (DONET – TD001 – TD002 – TD003 – VIBEV). I am still not convinced so I will fly that route again and if I am in a similar situation I will ask ATC after the clearance if it is for a straight in approach or to follow the whole approach.
10 miles to descend from FL060 to 4500 feet… what’s the problem? The IAF from the south is TRA, so that’s what you should have used, right? You could have asked for that since it’s “by ATC only”)
Vladimir wrote:
Talking with a FI later he told me that I was supposed to fly to TD003 then continue at FL060 to DONET and make the full approach (DONET – TD001 – TD002 – TD003 – VIBEV).
I don’t think so, wonder how he could come up with something like this?
Did you ask for descent to 4500 at TD003?
Maybe it was a shorter distance or I was higher, don’t remember exactly. But almost idle power, going good in the yellow speed range was not enough to reach it and be at TD003 at 4500.
