Logging Approaches

The question of what constitutes flying a loggable instrument approach procedure (IAP) often comes up during both hangar-flying sessions and check rides. The commonly accepted definition has been something like the aircraft flies over an initial approach fix (IAF) and departs the final approach fix (FAF) inbound to the airport in actual or simulated IMC and breaks out somewhere before reaching the missed approach point (MAP), decision height (DH) or decision altitude (DA). Its not all that simple, of course, especially once simulators and view-limiting devices get involved. To help clarify the answers, the FAA recently published official guidance.

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA published InFO 15012 to clarify the conditions for logging instrument approach procedures (IAPs), outlining five specific requirements including operating solely by reference to instruments and flying the IAP to the minimums.
• The FAA introduced a new "Compliance Philosophy" (FAA Order 8000.373) emphasizing a cooperative approach to return operators to compliance, recognizing honest mistakes while reserving enforcement for willful violations.
• The FAA issued policy statement PS-ACE-23-08, simplifying the replacement of less reliable vacuum-driven attitude indicators with more reliable electronically-driven units by classifying it as an acceptable minor alteration under specified conditions.

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