IFR practice Approaches

[Tristar]

So I haven't gotten the opportunity before to fly multiple practice approaches in the clouds at non-towered airports. I know how to fly directly to them talking to center where they hand you off to local CTAF once you're on the approach. My question is what do I tell center or, in the case of local nontowered airports, approach control that I'd like to fly IFR to another airport to do more than one approach. I'm sure it's pretty simple, I'm just not sure what to tell them. Other places in the middle of Nebraska tend to loose radar contact pretty high up.

 

[flyingron]

Usually when you're out setting up for an approach, they'll ask you what you do next. You tell them what you want to do...I want to do the published miss and hold or I'd like to go do the ILS at XXX next.

They'll issue your clearance with instructions as to what to do (usually return to their frequency) on the missed approach. Which is what you'd do if you missed in real life.

 

[poadeleted20]

File to the place where you want to practice, put "multiple approaches" in the remarks, and just tell the facility covering that airport (i.e., the one whose name is on the approach chart) what you want to do. They'll usually ask you what your intentions will be after the current approach, and give you appropriate instructions based on your answer. Just remember that you take lower priority behind aircraft arriving to land or departing the area, and you may be held while such operations are slipped in/out, especially in a non-radar environment.

Also, I've found it usually works better if you put a second flight plan in for the trip home. When you make contact with that facility, let them know the second plan is in the hopper and you'll pick it up when you're done with your practice approaches.

 

[SCCutler]

Tristan -

when you file, list all the airports to which you intend to fly on your practice run, and include "Multiple Practice Approaches" in comments, and when you are being vectored to the IAF, tell them what you intend to do, ie, "Bugsmasher one two three will be flying the published missed after this approach, then proceeding to [airport]."

Sometimes, they forget and/or you did not manage to convey the message to them (or the shift changes and you get a new controller), so if they tell you you're "...cleared for the approach, change to common traffic frequency approved, report cancellation this frequency or with Flight Service on the ground," tell them "We'll be back with you on the missed approach."

 

[Tristar]

Thanks guys, this helps.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Also, before you begin the first approach, you can simply tell the controller what your intentions are (ie where you want to go after the first approach) and they should be able to work with you.

I may be spoiled here in SoCal (will find out how they are on the other coast soon enough), but my typical routine is to get a TEC out of MYF to Oceanside (uncontrolled). While talking to Approach, I'll give them the heads up that I want to fly the VOR A at OKB with the published missed approach including a turn in the holding pattern, then the ILS 24 at CRQ followed by the ILS 28R full stop back at MYF.

 

[Henning]

If I want to do multiple approaches through actual to keep current I'll just ask the controller who's handling me "9SA, you have time to handle me a few missed and a landing for my log book?" Typically it's no problem.

 

[JesseD]

If I want to do multiple approaches through actual to keep current I'll just ask the controller who's handling me "9SA, you have time to handle me a few missed and a landing for my log book?" Typically it's no problem.

At KATW the controllers usually ask if you want more than one.

 

[Palmpilot]

So I haven't gotten the opportunity before to fly multiple practice approaches in the clouds at non-towered airports. I know how to fly directly to them talking to center where they hand you off to local CTAF once you're on the approach. My question is what do I tell center or, in the case of local nontowered airports, approach control that I'd like to fly IFR to another airport to do more than one approach. I'm sure it's pretty simple, I'm just not sure what to tell them. Other places in the middle of Nebraska tend to loose radar contact pretty high up.

In addition to the other advice you've gotten, my understanding is that if you want and/or need to do the approaches under IFR, you should not refer to them as "practice" approaches, because that may cause the controller to think you want to do them under VFR. If I need to do approaches under IFR, I just refer to them as "multiple approaches."

 

[Clark1961]

With all that's been said, which in general is good advise, keep in mind that a controller may not accommodate multiple approaches. On the flight back from Tulsa last month I listened to a controller working two studs out of Enid and denied them both multiple approaches at Garden City. The IP's were obviously unhappy on the radio but the controller stuck to his plan.

Dunno if the controller was working too many sectors or what but remember it's their show...

 

[Henning]

With all that's been said, which in general is good advise, keep in mind that a controller may not accommodate multiple approaches. On the flight back from Tulsa last month I listened to a controller working two studs out of Enid and denied them both multiple approaches at Garden City. The IP's were obviously unhappy on the radio but the controller stuck to his plan.

Dunno if the controller was working too many sectors or what but remember it's their show...

Yeah, that's why I ask. I'll also ask if they want to do a PAR or SAR type approach. Some places, especially dual use military/civilian, that have those approaches the controllers need to log some for currency as well so it helps us both out since I log it too.