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Visual Approach Procedure

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h25b

Left for ProPilotWorld
Joined
Jan 5, 2002
Posts
1,829
O.K. gang, opinions welcome... I just got back on a late night arrival and while I wait for my 2 mo. old son to go to sleep (Lord willing) approach really pi$$ed me off this evening so I thought I'd poll the audience.

Coming in (especially late at night) on clear evenings I'll typically set-up the FMS to fly to a point on a 3 mile final to the planned runway. When we check in to approach (keep in mind this is at 0100, YES A.M....) the controller tells us to expect the visual (which I already had set-up in the box and was proceeding to a fix as described above). He instructs us to call the field for the visual. About 9 miles out just as we were about to call the field he tells us to fly direct to the airport as we were off heading (no $hit Sherlock) to which I answer by reporting the field in sight. He answers back with a "cleared for the visual, but fly direct to the field..." Now at this point we're set up perfectly (thanks to my planning ahead) for a left base so I tell him we're on a left base. Now he's miffed and tells me we should have let him know before turning... For crying out loud man, we had been the only aircraft on frequency from Atlanta!!! The only time in 6 years of flying jets I have ever seen a controller be anything but happy that we had our act together. They're usually ticked off when you're flying directly over the field without the runway in sight.

Just wandering what other guys/gals do in such situations. I realize what I do is not exactly by the book, but good grief. The acronym "B.F.D." came to mind as I was interacting with this guy. I'm just trying to figure out what exactly he was expecting me to do. Evidently he was looking for me to perform an overhead break... This is probably the same controller that gets P.O.'d when it's a little hazy and can't quite get the field so you request an ILS.:rolleyes:

Opinions welcome, I guess from now on I'll fly direct to the numbers and what will be, will be ???
 
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"Good morning approach, King Air 123AB, outta 10 for 6 with infomation B. Would like to proceed to a point x miles on the final, if ok with you? Thanks"

It's their video game.
 
andpcl said:
"Good morning approach, King Air 123AB, outta 10 for 6 with infomation B. Would like to proceed to a point x miles on the final, if ok with you? Thanks"

It's their video game.

Same thing; I'll ask to go direct to the marker, or something to that affect.
 
Agreed...If I've been cleared direct destination, I go direct to the destination (not a fix near the destination). If I want something else prior to accepting a visual, then I'll request it.

Early requests are always appreciated, so long as you're talking to the appropriate controller.
 
Maybe there was something weird going on...military activity on UHF or discret freq? Sounds like something was bothering him. I usually do the same thing..cheat a little for a 3 mi or so final. (Usually set up for a left modified base turn...Navy habits die hard)
 
Sometimes, on a transcon redeye, we get cleared direct EWR. OK, then one or two center controllers before approach, I ask for the point away from the airport that I would like to fly towards. They uually ask the approach controller on the landline. So no surprises for anyone.
 
I know it's their video game and what I was doing was technically a "no,no".. .I was just curious if what I was doing was completely out of the ordinary. I don't think it is. I'll just walk the straight/narrow and just ask from now on. Like I said, in 6 yrs. this is the first I've had a word said. :D

Now I'll surely get the "for God's sake just go ahead and do it" attitude when I bother them by requesting...
 
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Yes it makes it easier on you, but personally I don't do it, the guy I fly with does it all of the time and they never say anything. Its just my preference not to do that.

I am sure you did it the one time out of a hundred that they would say somethign about it.
 
1 AM approach into the airport? You are already tired and behind the clock. Nobody else in the area. You crash, controller gets relieved of the console, and you die

Me?

Ah sir, doing XYZ works out for us best, traffic allowing (no traffic in area)
 

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