Cruise clearance >>> visual?

[Airspur]

If you receive a cruise clearance, can you fly a visual approach?

 

[Singlecoil]

yes, but you can't do a contact approach.

 

[labbats]

How common are Cruise Clearances?

 

[Airspur]

If you ever fly around a non-towered airport, you'll see em. Flying cargo at night, we get them all the time.

As for flying a visual, cruise clearance is defined in part as, "approval for the pilot to proceed to and make an approach at destination airport."

But the visual approach is defined in part as (on an IFR flight plan), "proceeding visually and clear of clouds to the airport. This approach must be authorized and under the control of the appropriate ATC facility."

I'm going to say you can't fly the visual with just the cruise clearance. After center gives you a freq. change, and you have the cruise clearance, it seems like you still "must be authorized" before flying the visual below any applicable minimum IFR altitude.

 

[knelson]

not as I understand it

I routinely fly to an uncontroled airport and my last clearance is "Cleared to the XXX airport via cruise 4000 Change to advisory frequency approved cancel via this freq or through radio on the ground". So, if that's not correct/legal, please let me know as I get this clearance every Friday afternoon.

 

[Timebuilder]

Sooner or later Avbug will tell us the inside poop.

Without looking it up, my recollection is that you can use any IFR approach at the named destination airport, and that the cruise clearance essentially is a block altitude clearance until you inform ATC that you are vacating an altitude, and that portion of you clearance "closes up" above you, if you descended. You then must ask to return to the previous altitude if you like.

I have never used one, but I understand cruise clearances are very popular out west, flying between non towered airports.

Like I said, this is mostly hearsay. I'll be interested to hear more about this.

 

[Airspur]

knelson,

I'm not going to tell you what's legal or correct. I guess that's why I put it as a question. My take is you should have the clearance for a visual, or just cancel first. Or you should just fly the approach and circle if you need. Just a thought to ponder I guess.

 

[Singlecoil]

Here it is from the Pilot/Controller Glossary. It doesn't say you can't do a visual approach, it only says that if you need an instrument letdown, then you must do it according to an instrument approach. I've used these a lot, and routinely do visuals off cruise clearances without any additional authorization. You can even be cleared to "cruise through xyz airport to abc airport". That lets you fly to xyz, do any approach you like (except contact), land, take off again, fly to abc and do any approach you like.


CRUISE- Used in an ATC clearance to authorize a pilot to conduct flight at any altitude from the minimum IFR altitude up to and including the altitude specified in the clearance. The pilot may level off at any intermediate altitude within this block of airspace. Climb/descent within the block is to be made at the discretion of the pilot. However, once the pilot starts descent and verbally reports leaving an altitude in the block, he/she may not return to that altitude without additional ATC clearance. Further, it is approval for the pilot to proceed to and make an approach at destination airport and can be used in conjunction with:

a. An airport clearance limit at locations with a standard/special instrument approach procedure. The CFRs require that if an instrument letdown to an airport is necessary, the pilot shall make the letdown in accordance with a standard/special instrument approach procedure for that airport, or

b. An airport clearance limit at locations that are within/below/outside controlled airspace and without a standard/special instrument approach procedure. Such a clearance is NOT AUTHORIZATION for the pilot to descend under IFR conditions below the applicable minimum IFR altitude nor does it imply that ATC is exercising control over aircraft in Class G airspace; however, it provides a means for the aircraft to proceed to destination airport, descend, and land in accordance with applicable CFRs governing VFR flight operations. Also, this provides search and rescue protection until such time as the IFR flight plan is closed.

 

[Vector4fun]

I won't speak for FSDO, but ATC really only cares about 3 things;

1. Don't go back UP to an altitude you reported descending out of, unless you let ATC know first.

2. Don't crash

3. Don't forget to cancel.

 

[Airspur]

Good points. I guess where we were getting hung up on technicalities is in the deinition of a visual approach:

"An approach conducted on an IFR flight plan which authorizes the pilot to proceed visually and clear of clouds to the airport. The pilot must, at all times, have either the airport or the preceding aircraft in sight. This apporach must be authorized and under the control of the appropriate ATC facility."

We were speculating that ATC has no idea that you have the airport or traffic and whether or not you'll be able to maintain that visual reference.

But I also agree that in cruise definition part b., it seems to mention VFR operations. So I'm still confused but thanks for your replies.