Sneak in the Side Door

Before you get a contact approach, some more boxes need to be checked, starting with weather minimums on par with Special VFR and Class G airspace. AIM 5-4-25 kicks off with them: Pilots operating in accordance with an IFR flight plan, provided they are clear of clouds and have at least one mile flight visibility and can reasonably expect to continue to the destination airport in those conditions, may request ATC authorization for a contact approach.

tkarmer

Monday, July 01, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A Contact Approach allows IFR pilots to fly visually to an airport in reduced visibility (at least one mile, clear of clouds) as a potential timesaving shortcut, but pilots *must* explicitly request it and assume full responsibility for maintaining visual, cloud, and terrain/obstruction clearance.
ATC cannot initiate or suggest a Contact Approach and will only authorize it if the destination airport has a *functioning* instrument approach procedure, and they can ensure approved separation from other traffic, often requiring airspace sterilization.
This procedure is strictly intended for legitimate visual shortcuts at IAP-equipped airports, not for circumventing regulations or switching destinations mid-approach to exploit marginal weather conditions.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Sea fog is an old nemesis of sailors and aviators alike. I’ve worked coastal airports where the stuff would form offshore and then spread over the airfield. One minute, beautiful VFR. The next, hangars and runways were being smothered in mist.

On days like those, instrument approaches were the usual solution. However, we also got to use visual procedures designed for such situations. Special VFR was a big one. VFR on top was pretty common too.