GPS Approaches

[Parabellum]

So my instructor and I filed IFR today and requested a GPS approach to FNL on the way back. We request clearance to go to the IAF listed on the approach plate, and ATC comes back and says they're unaware of that fix.

Kudos to the government for being on top of things.

 

[davetheflyer]

When I was flying around VRB, I also noticed a lot of confusion with GPS approaches. On one occasion, we were cleared to fix with a mandatory procedure turn although the controller clearly wanted us to make a straight-in approach.

 

[MikeD]

At the rate new GPS IAPs are popping up in the National Airspace System, it appears that ATC isn't able to "keep up" with the input of the new info. Might also depend which ATC agency you were talking to; for example, was the GPS IAP to an airport within Class B/C airspace? And if so, was it the servicing TRACON/RAPCON that didn't know the info?

MD

 

[Parabellum]

KFNL is north of Denver's Class B airspace. The controller I was talking to was a Denver Approach controller, if that has to do with anything.

 

[Mavmb]

Well out here in Phoenix the controllers seem to be on top of any changes to the GPS approaches. Of course, in the desert we're never really using them for real though either!

I heard precision GPS approaches are coming pretty soon though. Anybody else heard anything about that?

 

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
Well out here in Phoenix the controllers seem to be on top of any changes to the GPS approaches. Of course, in the desert we're never really using them for real though either!

I heard precision GPS approaches are coming pretty soon though. Anybody else heard anything about that?

[/ QUOTE ]

Supposedly the precision GPS IAPs are to come soon, they're in the design stages as we speak.

Ever notice around PHX that the GPS IAP waypoint names are a little strange?

MD

 

[mikek123]

I think that WAAS will be operational sometime between the summer and the end of the year and then we well begin seeing precision GPS approaches.