Filing IFR to shoot an approach?

Mikerohren

Mikerohren

Well-Known Member
Have any of you ever done this? My airport has been having perfect warm stratiform precipitation the last couple of nights with a 1500' ceiling, so nothing that testing. I have had my IR for a while now and I accumulated only .3 of actual on a departure out of CRQ when I was getting my rating.... I am still current and thinking about filing IFR and simply flying a SID to an IAF and flying an ILS just to get some real experience... Anyone ever done this or have any recommendations?
 
Yes.Why fly the SID, though? If you're going to get vectors for an approach back in to the field, it just seems like a waste of $$.
 
The ODP I should say... at our field takes you right to the VOR I would get vectored to anyways, I wouldn't file that, my bad...
 
SOCAL area has Tower Enroute Control Routes (TEC). If you start up and ask clearance/ground for a tower enroute to CRQ (yes even though you're on the ground there) they may be able to help you out. That's what we did in CMA and OXR when we wanted to fly in actual. I know the marine layer you're talking about.

Edit: O wait...you're not based there. Still if you are in the LA, San Diego Metropolitan area you may be able to do it this way.

The other thing you can do besides filing is ask for a "climb to VFR on Top" , then a popup approach clearance once you're above the layer. Might be a bit chaotic.
 
Ive filed a round robin before to practice several approaches in IMC. It was airport to same airport, with remarks of practice approaches. Controllers were great with it. I had a CFII tell me though he refuses to do the round robins at the same airport vs another one due to several bad experiences but he would not elaborate.
 
Yes go do it! File a flight plan, the controllers will be more accommodating and understanding of what you want to do.

Unless you are in SoCal than TEC is the way to go, really neat to do that.
 
Runincolorado said:
Ive filed a round robin before to practice several approaches in IMC. It was airport to same airport, with remarks of practice approaches. Controllers were great with it.
Click to expand...
Folks do it all the time with local IFR training flights. For those who remember that part of the 911 aftermath, I even did it during the early "Enhanced Class B" period when only IFR was permitted in some areas. A friend of mine wanted to fly but he had lost currency. So I called TRACON to ask the best time to go up and we did.
 
Why file on the ground? You could just file in the air. I asked for an ILS approach which they then gave me a heading that I would go into the clouds. I let them know and they said it was up to me to open a local IFR if I could or stay VFR. I just decided IFR and took my short clearance in the air...came in on the ILS and broke out about 2000 AGL.

All went smooth! Great advice in here though from different perspectives.
 
Used to do that all the time to get into CRQ when I was flight training there. Just call SoCal Approach and request IFR clearance to get ILS or other approach into Palomar. They would like you to do it as far out as possible from the field to give them time to get you into the system and get you vectors for the approach. Pretty straight forward.
 
tcco94 said:
Why file on the ground? You could just file in the air. I asked for an ILS approach which they then gave me a heading that I would go into the clouds. I let them know and they said it was up to me to open a local IFR if I could or stay VFR. I just decided IFR and took my short clearance in the air...came in on the ILS and broke out about 2000 AGL.
Click to expand...
Mostly because (1) "Local IFR" is just that - local in the sense it is not done everywhere and (2) there is no guarantee the controller wont say in response to a pop-up request, "Sorry, unable due to traffic; call Flight Service to file a flight plan."
 
MidlifeFlyer said:
Mostly because (1) "Local IFR" is just that - local in the sense it is not done everywhere and (2) there is no guarantee the controller wont say in response to a pop-up request, "Sorry, unable due to traffic; call Flight Service to file a flight plan."
Click to expand...
Guess I never thought about option 2. I did it because they seemed busy and didn't want to deal with vectoring me...but then again I did my flight training at an Class C airfield with 3 runways and the "rush" was having more than 4 planes in a 20 nm radius. I guess it all depends on where you fly and if you can get away with doing a local in the air. If I was back home in the Bay Area, I have a strong feeling NorCal would say that me...or Livermore.
 
Mikerohren said:
Have any of you ever done this? My airport has been having perfect warm stratiform precipitation the last couple of nights with a 1500' ceiling, so nothing that testing. I have had my IR for a while now and I accumulated only .3 of actual on a departure out of CRQ when I was getting my rating.... I am still current and thinking about filing IFR and simply flying a SID to an IAF and flying an ILS just to get some real experience... Anyone ever done this or have any recommendations?
Click to expand...

Very common thing to do. I do it at least every 6 months early in the morning when the marine layer rolls in. Shoot my 6 approaches, a turn in holding, and call myself current.

File the DP or SID and let ATC put you on vectors.

Midlife Flyer is correct, you need to file. In SoCal we get away with a lot of pop up IFR that wouldn't be tolerated in other parts of the country.
 
My experience with pop-up IFR has been spotty. I've gotten, "Denied, call back when you file through Flight Service" several times. Seems much smoother to file on the ground and use navaids or local airport identifiers as your fixes, then request approaches as necessary.

If it's a nice day, you can always depart VFR then activate IFR in the air. This saves the controller from playing 20 questions with you in opening a pop-up from scratch.
 
Last edited:
Mikerohren said:
Have any of you ever done this? My airport has been having perfect warm stratiform precipitation the last couple of nights with a 1500' ceiling, so nothing that testing. I have had my IR for a while now and I accumulated only .3 of actual on a departure out of CRQ when I was getting my rating.... I am still current and thinking about filing IFR and simply flying a SID to an IAF and flying an ILS just to get some real experience... Anyone ever done this or have any recommendations?
Click to expand...
Don't file...unless you need to to get out. Just fly VFR and grab a pop-up for the approach. And just ask for the approach from the IAF. No need to bother with a STAR.
 
It would be hard to go wrong with filing a flight plan. Though at my old home drome many moons ago it was typical to just request an local IFR clearance with ground, though we were a TRSA so all the local stuff was handled in the same building.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top