Filing Alternate airport on IFR flight plan when using WAAS – HELP!

John777

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I was going through the AIM in Chapter 1 to study about the suitable RNAV equipments and WAAS to understand the alternate airport selection when flying IFR flight.

I have listed the questions as below, and I would appreciate your comments, references and interpretations on what is correct according to FAR/AIM.

Some explanations were really vague and there were grey areas where two or more information were overlapping each other.



1)So, our school is thankfully equipped with WAAS/GPS and hope it is TSO-C145, or 146 certified. Now, when filing an alternate aiport, what I understand from the text in the AIM is that, we can shoot both GPS or file based upon GPS approaches at both destination and alternate airport?

2) If not WAAS equipped or TSO-129, 196 certified, then alternate airport must have an available instrument approach procedure that does not require the use of GPS. For example, shooting GPS or substituting with DME or VOR?

Also, in this case, can we shoot GPS approach at destination and shoot conventional approach at alternate? is this what text means?

3) Under AIM1-2-3(d)(1) states that for flight planning purposes, TSO-C129, 196 equipped aircraft, may only file alternate based on a GPS based IAP at either the destination or the alternate airport.

Does this mean that we are not using the standard weather minimums 800-2, 600-2 at destination and it must be greater than minimums for published LNAV or circling MDA or LNAV/VNAV DA?

What does either destination or the alternate airport mean? Aren't we caring only filing alternate airport?

4) Under AIM1-2-3 (d)(3) states that this restriction does not apply to TSO-145, 146(my school). So, we can shoot both GPS approaches at both destination and alternate airports using just 800-2(GPS approaches are non precision?!) and whenever wx at destination is below 1-2-3 rule, just file the alternate anyway?

5) Under AIM1-1-18(d)(1)(b) , aircraft using TSO-C129 or 196 must have operational alternate means of navigation and active monitoring of alternate navigation(let us say VOR ro NDB) is not required if the GPS receiver uses RAIM monitoring.

From the information above, can I fly IFR XC with TSO-145 or 146 (WAAS) without monitoring alternate means of navigation and do not have to monitor VOR or ADF ?

6)In continuance from previous question, under AIM1-1-18(e)(2)(a), it states that GPS/WAAS receiver(TSO-145, 146 certified), though not required, operators should consider retaining backup navigation equipment in their aircraft to guard against potential outages. From the classic memory GRABCARD, we need to have equipment for radio navigation and communication, and if we are flying Victor airways with GPS/WAAS, can we still fly without the VOR receiver and DME?
 
I'm not sure about TSO-C145 or the differences between TSO-C145 and TSO-C146, but with a TSO-C129 approved GPS, you need to have a ground-based navaid receiver as backup and you can file to use a GPS approach at the destination OR the alternate, but not both. You're only required to actively monitor the ground-based receiver enroute if RAIM capability is not available or is lost.

For a TSO-C146-approved GPS, you're allowed to use the GPS as sole navigation source, without a ground-based navaid receiver as backup as long as WAAS is available. (If WAAS is not available, then I believe you fall back on the rules governing non-WAAS-based (TSO-C129) units.) In addition, you can file to use GPS approaches at both the destination and alternate, as long as WAAS is available.) The only restriction I'm aware of is that you can't assume LPV minimums at your alternate if you would need to fly a GPS approach there, you have to flight plan assuming LNAV or circling minimums at the alternate.

These are just the rules that I recall from when I was studying for my IR in my plane, which does not have baro-VNAV or RNP-0.3 capability. There are other rules and restrictions that apply to those more advanced systems, but others will have to quote them as I just don't remember them well enough. It's also possible that my info is out of date, since the AIM has been revised a few times since I was an instrument student.
 
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