IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

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waynemcc999
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IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

Post by waynemcc999 »


Today good friend Blake and I shoot a couple approaches through the marine layer. As we approached the first final approach course we were too fast in trail of a Cherokee, so received a vector back around… and then 3 scheduled flights got priority... so back around, and back around again. But, hey, no complaints here… we’re just up havin’ fun! Welcome aboard! Wayne, GeezerGeek Pilot
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Re: IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

Post by arksat »

From this video I learned that we can file IFR from/to the same airport. Sounds like fun practices.
Nice video, Wayne!
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Re: IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

Post by waynemcc999 »

Tosh, thx for watching!
Wayne
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Re: IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

Post by danno2000 »

Hey Wayne -
I wasn't 100% sure from the video, but it sounded like you did not file an IFR flight plan and simply asked Clearance to give you an IFR clearance to do the approach and then go VFR-on-top from there. Sort of like a pop-up IFR but on the ground. Is that right, and if so, is that pretty much standard operating procedure where you are?

I've been trying to get more actual IMC time and shoot more approaches in actual, but often struggle with how to handle it - it's hard to file an IFR flight plan in advance because I don't necessarily know where the IMC will be, and asking for a pop-up in the air sometimes feels like I'm adding to controller workload too much.

I have the added complication of having a non-controlled airport as home base, and many of the approaches I'd fly are also to non-controlled airports. Still, knowing it might be an option to essentially negotiate with Clearance right before takeoff would be helpful and isn't something I'd ever considered.

thanks,
dan
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Re: IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

Post by waynemcc999 »

danno2000 wrote: Sat Jul 10, 2021 12:24 am Hey Wayne -
I wasn't 100% sure from the video, but it sounded like you did not file an IFR flight plan and simply asked Clearance to give you an IFR clearance to do the approach and then go VFR-on-top from there. Sort of like a pop-up IFR but on the ground. Is that right, and if so, is that pretty much standard operating procedure where you are?

I've been trying to get more actual IMC time and shoot more approaches in actual, but often struggle with how to handle it - it's hard to file an IFR flight plan in advance because I don't necessarily know where the IMC will be, and asking for a pop-up in the air sometimes feels like I'm adding to controller workload too much.

I have the added complication of having a non-controlled airport as home base, and many of the approaches I'd fly are also to non-controlled airports. Still, knowing it might be an option to essentially negotiate with Clearance right before takeoff would be helpful and isn't something I'd ever considered.

thanks,
dan
Dan,

Yes, correct... in that Santa Barbara is not a particularly busy Class C, during the marine layer season I often request (without filing) an IFR clearance specifically "IFR climb to VFR on Top, Gaviota" (where Gaviota VOR is the "clearance limit"). This works because of the high likelihood that we'll be well above the tops, can cancel IFR before reaching Gaviota, and then proceed VFR with flight following.

A bit of semantics:
  • "IFR climb to VFR on Top" is an IFR clearance, and fully IFR
  • once above the layer and with IFR cancelled, we are then "VFR over the Top", and fully VFR
By the way, Pilot Workshops has a great document "IFR Communications Guide" that goes over many of these important nuances.

On this departure I knew that the layer was thinning and we were keen to get in an IMC approach before departing northbound, so I appended the clearance request with a request to shoot the ILS 7 before cancelling. Clx Delivery then issued a clearance limit of KSBA (logically so we could fly the missed, and then proceed onward). In the end, we kept IFR all the way to KSBP and shot the approach there before cancelling.

Since you're often out of non-controlled fields, make sure you're using the Clearance Delivery phone numbers to get your clearance, when needed, before launching. These numbers can also be used to cancel IFR once you've landed.

Hope I addressed your questions without too much pontificating ;) .
Wayne
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Re: IFR Approaches - "We're just up havin' fun" (Full ATC)

Post by Colin »

SoCal is a wonderful place to fly IFR. You can ask for "tower en route" clearances and a bunch of other things without filing or talking to Center or Service. Rude awakening when I tried something similar over the Tappan Zee Bridge once.
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