Fly the Procedure Turn

kmaples

Monday, January 23, 2023 at 03:23 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Procedure turns (PTs) are mandatory unless specific conditions—such as receiving radar vectors, an explicitly labeled "NoPT" segment, a "straight-in" clearance, or no PT depicted—are present, in which case they are explicitly disallowed and never optional.
When a PT is required, pilots should fly outbound to an appropriate distance (e.g., within 10 NM, using GPS/DME or timing) before executing a 180-degree turn to intercept the inbound course, utilizing the protected area to get established.
Hold In Lieu of Procedure Turn (HiLPT) serves the same function as a PT and follows identical rules for when it must or may not be flown; HiLPTs are depicted with a solid bold line on charts, and any deviation from the charted configuration (e.g., extra laps or non-standard leg lengths) requires ATC clearance.

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We all learned how to fly procedure turns when we got our instrument rating. We probably even had to fly a procedure turn or two on the practical test to qualify for the certificate. But since then it has been vectors to final nearly every time and our ability to fly a procedure turn correctly might have suffered in the interim. So let’s reawaken some old memories—or worse, create some new ones—by taking a detailed look at what it takes to fly a procedure turn the right way.

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