mcmanigle
Line Up and Wait
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2013
- Messages
- 520
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John McManigle
Quick question, but one I'm not really sure how to phrase, so let's go with: "What's the deal with being cleared for a practice XYZ approach (maintain VFR)?"
It makes sense in class B, where presumably it means you can make the approach maneuvers as charted (or assigned) and get separation services. It halfway makes sense in class C and D for the same reasons (though of decreasing importance).
But outside of B/C/D, is it just a courtesy to the controller to ask, and them to give, the clearance, saying "we won't put any IFR traffic directly on top of you (but don't hold us to that)"?
There's nothing stopping us from flying a full approach out there in glorious E airspace without a radio or transponder, so and it feels weird that the words "cleared for" are used when that's the case. Though it makes perfect sense that if you're playing around all over an approach course it's nice to let the controller know, and nice of the controller to not dump a citation on you (or at least warn you to move out of the way first).
It makes sense in class B, where presumably it means you can make the approach maneuvers as charted (or assigned) and get separation services. It halfway makes sense in class C and D for the same reasons (though of decreasing importance).
But outside of B/C/D, is it just a courtesy to the controller to ask, and them to give, the clearance, saying "we won't put any IFR traffic directly on top of you (but don't hold us to that)"?
There's nothing stopping us from flying a full approach out there in glorious E airspace without a radio or transponder, so and it feels weird that the words "cleared for" are used when that's the case. Though it makes perfect sense that if you're playing around all over an approach course it's nice to let the controller know, and nice of the controller to not dump a citation on you (or at least warn you to move out of the way first).