To turn or not to turn?

flymo

Well-Known Member
I have heard so many different theories on when to do a procedure turn/course reversal, that I want to get your all views on this scenario. You are northwest of DAKKA on a 140 degree bearing to the fix and cleared for the approach. ATC cleared you for the approach and said nothing about a "straight in approach" in the clearance. Do you turn right and do the procedure turn at DAKKA or do you turn left and continue inbound for the airport?

Chart: http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0906/00684R12.PDF

I was always taught and have taught that a procedure turn is not required in the following events:

S-straight in approach clearance
H-holding
A-arc procedure
R-radar vectors
P-"No PT" on chart

The more I look at this though, the more I realize it doesn't really cover the scenario above. What do you all think?
 
I might be wrong but I don't think that you can just go straight in. I would probably just go to SADDO.
 
Unless I'm mistaken, this seems like a no brainer. Regardless of whether ATC does or not does say "cleared for the straight in" you fly the approach as published. The only time you would follow that course reversal depicted is if you were flying the feeder route from Goodland VOR or advised by ATC. From your scenario, if you're flying direct to DAKKA on a 140* course, you'd continue the approach by turning a course of 125* upon reaching DAKKA and following the stepdown fixes.
 
In this approach, you are legally bound to do the PT, unless one of the conditions of 91.175(j) is present (which doesn't include ATC clearance.) I know it seems seems pointless, but you can't come up with regulations that cover every contigency. If this approach were a TAA, then you'd have a NoPT sector here.

Here's the official FAA position:

IAF Legal Interp--IAF.pdf
 
Finally, you ask whether a course reversal segment is optional "when one of the conditions of FAR section 91.175(j) is not present." Section 91.175(j) states that in the case of a radar vector to a final approach course or fix, a timed approach from a holding fix, or an approach for which then procedures specifies "no procedure turn," no pilot may make a procedure turn unless cleared to do so by ATC.



Wouldn't DAKKA count as a setup for the final approach course (since you don't need to make any turns after reaching DAKKA), even though it is not a FAF? If that is the case, we would need to know if the pilot was given radar vector for DAKKA and if that is true, then he wouldn't be required to do the course reversal.
 
Wouldn't DAKKA count as a setup for the final approach course (since you don't need to make any turns after reaching DAKKA), even though it is not a FAF?

Yes, if he were vectored. And in reality, there is a new criterion for ATC clearing an aircraft to the intermediate fix and having them do a straight in, as long as it's an RNAV approach and the turn is less than 90 degrees. The AIM really isn't clear on this, although the ATC Handbook is.
 
Yes, if he were vectored. And in reality, there is a new criterion for ATC clearing an aircraft to the intermediate fix and having them do a straight in, as long as it's an RNAV approach and the turn is less than 90 degrees. The AIM really isn't clear on this, although the ATC Handbook is.

Sweet. I'm betting he was vectored ;)
 
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