Gettin Turned Around

A solid understanding of the rules and types of course reversals on an approach is essential. Course reversals are part of the FAAs guidance for IPCs. So, if you come out of proficiency training without feeling good about them, you didnt get your moneys worth. Regardless, you should be familiar, lest you hear unable radar vectors in the soup when you least expect it.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Course reversals, essential for instrument pilots, are maneuvers (Procedure Turn or Hold-in-lieu-of-Procedure-Turn) used to align the aircraft with the approach course when other methods like radar vectors or "NoPT" routes are unavailable.
The Procedure Turn (PT) is depicted by a barbed arrow, allowing pilot discretion for turn execution within specified distance limits (e.g., 10 NM), with descent to the PT altitude permitted once abeam or over the fix outbound.
The Hold-in-lieu-of-Procedure-Turn (HILPT) is a mandatory holding pattern at an Initial Approach Fix (IAF), requiring adherence to the published pattern entry, leg lengths, and speed limits.
Both maneuvers have specific descent rules, speed restrictions (e.g., 200 KIAS for PTs, standard holding speeds for HILPTs), and necessitate clear communication with ATC for safe and compliant execution.

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A solid understanding of the rules and types of course reversals on an approach is essential. Course reversals are part of the FAA’s guidance for IPCs. So, if you come out of proficiency training without feeling good about them, you didn’t get your money’s worth. Regardless, you should be familiar, lest you hear “unable radar vectors” in the soup when you least expect it.
There are two types of course reversal: the procedure turn (PT) and the hold-in-lieu-of-procedure-turn (HILPT). They both have the same basic definition: A maneuver prescribed when it is necessary to reverse direction to establish an aircraft on the intermediate approach segment or final approach course.