What does cleared for the approach mean

It does not mean, "continue on your present heading and fly right through the localizer. Sometimes ATC intends to vector you through the final approach course. Radar vectors can provide course guidance and expedite traffic to the final approach course of any established IAP or to the traffic pattern for a visual approach.

Approach control facilities that provide this radar service will operate in the following manner: a Arriving aircraft are either cleared to an outer fix most appropriate to the route being flown with vertical separation and, if required, given holding information or, when radar handoffs are effected between the ARTCC and approach control, or between two approach control facilities, aircraft are cleared to the airport or to a fix so located that the handoff will be completed prior to the time the aircraft reaches the fix.

When radar handoffs are utilized, successive arriving flights may be handed off to approach control with radar separation in lieu of vertical separation.

Radar vectors and altitude or flight levels will be issued as required for spacing and separating aircraft. Therefore, pilots must not deviate from the headings issued by approach control. Aircraft will normally be informed when it is necessary to vector across the final approach course for spacing or other reasons.

If approach course crossing is imminent and the pilot has not been informed that the aircraft will be vectored across the final approach course, the pilot should query the controller.

This clearance will normally be issued with the final vector for interception of the final approach course, and the vector will be such as to enable the pilot to establish the aircraft on the final approach course prior to reaching the final approach fix. Also, isn't "turn right to to intercept the localizer" a bit of non-standard radar vector clearance? Cleared for the Approach. On Wayne Farley My aviation career as an air traffic controller spans three decades in two jurisdictions, Guyana and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it! Wayne Farley. Looks like this is an international problem. Thanks for your input Mike. Good question. When the aircraft lands, or commences a missed approach. About Wayne Farley. Recent Posts. Is UTM at risk of technical fragmentation? Advertise Cookies Policy. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. To use the website as intended please Here are the exceptions:. This means you may not fly the PT when using this route or segment.

All this being said, there are cases where ATC may not clear you straight in. In that case, the controller is told to expect that you will conduct the PT. Finally, if you are not clear of what you or the controller expects you to do, clarify the situation with the controller. This is required by regulation Thank you John. My instructor explained to me that I should receive one of two commands from ATC. Intercept the final approach course.

Which means do not execute the PT. Each of those components and ATC regulations contribute to getting you to the runway via a stable approach. Each mark is either a mile or half a mile, depending on the facility. The fact is, with the tools in modern cockpits you probably know exactly where you are. However, we still give the distance to enhance situational awareness for those without the fancy toys. So, according to the In this example image from FAA Order This TAA is specified by the three arcs extending 30 miles from each fix.

Once cleared for the approach, the pilot is expected to maintain any previously assigned altitude until inside that arc. TAAs have caused confusion for both pilots and controllers. A little extra verbiage might ease the mind. The Handbook has a lot more info on TAAs. How are you getting from there to the approach? ATC can either clear you via an initial approach fix, or via radar vectors to a portion of the approach.

Some approaches have procedure turns built-in, allowing you to hit that fix from any angle, make the PT, and come back in on the approach. Just the hard degree turn on its own can be tough for some pilots to manage, resulting in spill-outs and corrections. Whereas clearances via IAFs have 90 degrees of leeway, vectors to a final approach course have much tighter tolerances, since you may be joining well inside any IAFs.

The approach gate is one mile out from the FAF. If our vector has you intercepting between zero and two miles from the gate i. For an ILS whose localizer is degrees, intercept headings are between and For an intercept over two miles from the gate, we can use up to 30 degrees in the example , since you have more time to get established.