Fly the Procedure Turn

kmaples

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

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Procedure turns (PTs) are never optional; pilots must either fly them or are prohibited from flying them based on specific conditions such as radar vectors, "NoPT" segments, or a "straight-in" approach clearance.
When a PT is required, pilots should avoid rushing the turn, often extending outbound near the maximum allowed distance (e.g., 6 NM with GPS/DME) to ensure stabilization before turning inbound and remaining within the protected airspace.
Hold In Lieu of PT (HiLPT) serves the same purpose as a traditional PT, following the identical "when to fly" rules, and is identifiable on charts by a solid bold line, with ATC expecting only one entry turn unless additional laps are requested and approved.

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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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