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6 Answers

How can I know when procedure turn is allowed?

Asked by: 20793 views Instrument Rating

25 NM south of the airport on a heading of 360 at 3000'
Since NoPT is all over the place how do I approach the airport? Am I allowed to fly direct to CUFJO to execute Teardrop (course reversal) to establish on the final approach course while descent to 2100'? or do I have  to fly to the (IAF)on LEFT or RIGHT base? 

6 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Nathan Parker on May 25, 2012

    It would really help if you posted the airport and approach you’re talking about; a link to a pdf of the approach plate would be even better:
     
    http://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/1205/05055R18.PDF
     
    You can proceed direct to CUFJO and do the teardrop if cleared to do so; if you just get “cleared approach” without a reference to a particular IAF, you’re expected to use the IAF in the TAA segment in which you’re located, which would mean “NoPt”.

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  2. Lucas on May 26, 2012

    Also remember this acronim for reference: SHARPTT
    You do not execute a procedure turn if any of the following are true:
     
    S- Straight in (your course is within 30 degrees of the final approach course).
    H – Holding in lieu (you are holding at the final approach fix).
    A – Arc of DME (you are doing an arc to the FAF).
    R- Radar vectors (the controller is vectoring you to final).
    P – NoPT is displayed on the IAP.
    T – Teardrop (you are executing a teardrop procedure).
    T – Timed approach (you are executing a Timed approach, such as sun and fun or the Oshkosh airshow).
     
    Lucas
    http://www.pilottrainingsolutions.com

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  3. John D. Collins on May 26, 2012

    I agree with Nathan’s comments and offer one caveat on “cleared approach”, this would clear you for any intrument approach procedure available at the airport, and I agree with him as to what would be expected. However, this clearance is broad enough to permit choosing any of the four approaches.  If ATC cleared you to the IAF/IF at CUFJO and using the PT, they would most likely require you to maintain 2500 until CUFJO, where you could descend in the holding pattern to 2100.

     

    The altitudes on the TAA style procedure permit you to descend to the charted altitudes once you are cleared for the approach unless ATC clears you otherwise. You are expected to descend to these altitudes, based on navigating to the IAF contained within the same sector, once you have been cleared for the approach without an altitude restriction.  

     

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  4. John D. Collins on May 26, 2012

    Lucas,

     

    Your memory aid looks good to me, but I have some issues with your comments and have edited it with my understanding.

     

    Also remember this acronym for reference: SHARPTT. You do not execute a procedure turn if any of the following are true:
     
    S- Straight in (Anytime this is included in your approach clearance, it means the controller does not want you to fly the hold or PT, it doesn’t have anything to do with the course alignment with the runway).

    H – Holding (You are in a holding pattern and prior to arriving at the holding fix, you are cleared for the approach).

    A – Arc of DME (you are doing an arc to join the approach).

    R- Radar vectors (the controller is vectoring you to an approach leg, that is you are assigned a heading to fly to intercept the course, a vector that ends with a clearance direct to a fix ends being a vector as you are using your own navigation and a PT or hold will be required unless the controller clears you straight in).

    P – NoPT is displayed on the IAP for the feeder, intermediated course or approach segment being flown.

    T – Teardrop (A teardrop is mandatory if a course reversal is required and the approach will not have a PT).

    T – Timed approach (you are executing a timed approach, such as sun and fun or the Oshkosh air show).

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  5. Lucas on May 26, 2012

    John,
    you are absolutely correct, sometimes we forget that we are dealing with students and what is obvious to us is very rarely to them.
    For a better explanation I took the slide where we deal with Straight in Approaches and uploaded it to youtube. This will give the student a full and thorough explanation instead of a quick scribbled answer.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxXL8xQEgmg
    Lucas
    passfaaexams.com

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  6. Anrboy on Jun 01, 2012

    Also to add on to what they said. It will help to remember that is the waypoint doesn’t have a circle around it you don’t have to fly directly over it. You can start the turn a little early just don’t start the next step down until the next fix is on the GPS

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