How Far Can You Go?

If issued an en-route clearance limit, you will be given holding instructions. If the pattern is charted, and they rarely are, you might be issued, Hold east as published. Most moving map displays such as the G1000 and GTN series do not show published holds, necessitating a chart, but ATC will issue full holding instructions if requested. The FAA frowns on unpublished holds, saying that only those holding patterns depicted on U.S. government or commercially produced charts which meet FAA requirements should be used. This is another reason why rolling your own at JIDUK, is a shaky idea.

Fred Simonds

Monday, June 03, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

When experiencing a two-way radio failure (NORDO) at an Initial Approach Fix (IAF) after being advised to "expect" an approach, FAR 91.185(c)(3)(i) dictates commencing the expected approach as close as possible to the estimated time of arrival.
Unpublished holding patterns at an IAF are not legally supported without invoking emergency authority and are undesirable for Air Traffic Control (ATC), who prioritize predictable pilot actions during a NORDO event.
Pilots possess emergency authority (FAR 91.3(b)) to deviate from complex NORDO regulations, which the author suggests exercising for a prompt and safe landing, rather than blindly following potentially impractical rules.
Despite documented challenges and practical inefficiencies in parts of FAR 91.185, the FAA continues to affirm its necessity for ensuring National Airspace System safety during communications failures.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A reader wrote us recently about a pinch he found himself in during an IFR flight. He departed Easterwood Field (KCLL) destined for David Wayne Hooks Memorial (KDWH) in Houston. His departure clearance was “cleared to David Wayne Hooks Airport via radar vectors.” Easy enough. KDWH was his clearance limit.

Handed to the final Houston Approach controller, he requested direct JIDUK, the IAF for the RNAV RWY 35L approach. The controller issued, “expect the RNAV RWY 35L approach, proceed direct JIDUK, descend and maintain 2000 feet.”