Authorization Required

You can do a lot with an instrument rating and appropriately equipped aircraft-slice through clouds, take-off zero-zero and fly VOR, ILS, GPS and even (if you care) NDB approaches. None of these operations require special qualifications beyond the instrument rating. For example, many of us got instrument ratings before GPS, yet were authorized to fly GPS approaches. But, there are things an instrument-rated pilot cant do, even with certified equipment. Wanna fly a CAT II approach? Sorry. How about an ILS CAT I SA or RNAV (RNP)? Nope, cant do those either. What gives?

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA restricts access to advanced instrument approaches, such as ILS CAT I SA and RNAV (RNP), either through explicit regulation or by designating them as "nonstandard" procedures requiring special authorization.
• These nonstandard approaches incorporate unique features like Heads-Up Displays and enhanced obstacle clearance for ILS CAT I SA, or reduced obstacle clearance areas and radius-to-fix (RF) legs for RNAV (RNP), enabling approaches in challenging environments.
• Despite many pilots having equipment capable of handling aspects of these approaches (e.g., WAAS GPS for RNP), the FAA restricts their general use due to pilot training concerns and a cautious approach to widely releasing advanced technology to the general aviation community.

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