Pilots' Discretion

[mustangpilot]

I have been discussing with a couple other pilots about the need to call when vacating your altitude on a pilots descretion clearance. If you are given a DP and you remain at your current altitude for the time being then decide to decend some time later do you need to advise ATC when you are leaving that altitude. I have heard both opinions and have searched the regs and can't find anything specific. If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate any feed back!!!

 

[mar]

Try the General Board

One of the required reports is leaving an assigned altitude.

Go to the General board and check out that thread titled "With you. With you. With you."

It's got a couple radio techniques in there and more importantly it cites the relevant chapter...which I can't remember right now.

Good luck.

 

[FL420]

Yes. Leaving an assigned altitude is a required report to ATC, even when in radar contact.

A more interesting question is do you report leaving your last assigned altitude after being cleared for an instrument approach procedure and begin descending IAW the procedure when established on the procedure?

My position is that a strict interpretation of the regs. requires you to do so even though I suspect I am in the minority as almost no one does it and ATC rarely if ever will say anything.

 

[mar]

Report to who?

Are you asking if you make the report to the controller who just cleared you for the approach...

...or report to tower...

...not sure I follow you.

 

[FL420]

Report to who?
Are you asking if you make the report to the controller who just cleared you for the approach...
...or report to tower...
...not sure I follow you.

It depends on who you are talking to when you are established on a published portion of the IAP and need to commence a descent to meet the next published altitude on the IAP. Usually Approach Control but could be Center if RAPCON is closed(backside of the clock.) Most busy airports don't send you to tower until the FAF or OM but if they switch you before you need to descend then tower it is. They are ATC also.

 

[mar]

I'll go out on a limb here

In a perfect world, I think this question would be answered by an ATC specialist, but I'll give it a whack.

If your clearance sounds like, "Maintain 4000 until established on a published portion of the approach, cleared ILS Rwy 25, contact tower at the OM..."

I'd say your readback is sufficient as you now "own" all of the airspace from 4000 *down* to the DA and *back up* to the published missed approach altitude...

...and here's why I think so, and why I don't feel a report is necessary:

If you went lost comm just as you were issued an approach clearance (and you're in actual IMC) you'd continue to the DA and land. Or you'd continue to the DA and go missed and fly the published missed approach.

Because, as you know (I'm just trying to cover all my bases here), an approach clearance also contains a tacit authorization to fly the published missed if you need it.

So, I don't think a report of "vacating 4000 for 1600" (the GSIA) is really adding much to the Big Picture.

But I'll standby for any corrections, amendments, additions or deletions.

 

[MauleSkinner]

I have been discussing with a couple other pilots about the need to call when vacating your altitude on a pilots descretion clearance. If you are given a DP and you remain at your current altitude for the time being then decide to decend some time later do you need to advise ATC when you are leaving that altitude. I have heard both opinions and have searched the regs and can't find anything specific. If anyone has any ideas I would appreciate any feed back!!!

They took it out of the regs as a required call, but left it in the AIM as a required call...ah, gotta love the logic of the FAA

Fly safe!

David

 

[hydroflyer]

Whether it is required or not I do, because at least half the time I report leaving an altitude, mainly a flight level, the controller comes back with a frequency change as I am descending into another controllers airspace. If the frequency is really busy, I'm not going to step on others to report leaving an altitude. I'll wait for a break or by then the controller sees it.