Approach Clearance

[cjcpilot]

I mostly fly into uncontrolled fields where we do full approaches (the controllers give lousy vectors, if they are even able). At one of the airports, there is a controller who wants a report when we are established, but won't clear us for the approach until he gets that report (even if we ask).

I thought that to be legal within our clearance, we have to be cleared for the approach before we can be established upon it.

Am I missing something here, or is the controller getting the proper sequence backwards?

 

[stupidpilot]

I get that all the time. Intercept the loc but not cleared for the approach. Its possible his radar is spotty out there. Hence the bad intercepts. He's just probably making sure your established before clearing you for the approach so you're not flying off into the wild blue yonder somewhere while you'rethinking that you are going straight at the field.

 

[gkrangers]

I get that all the time. Intercept the loc but not cleared for the approach. Its possible his radar is spotty out there. Hence the bad intercepts. He's just probably making sure your established before clearing you for the approach so you're not flying off into the wild blue yonder somewhere while you'rethinking that you are going straight at the field.

Not sure but that sounds good.

 

[Say Again Over]

Hopefully a qualified controller like MK will pipe in, I think the poster is right about some technical reason for the procedure, in essence though, he is giving you permission to start the approach, if I was in that scenario I guess I would want to know if there is any delays expected.