Readback—October 2024

IFR Staff

Friday, October 11, 2024 at 05:01 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots cannot file for or be assigned an arrival procedure for a destination airport if it is not specifically charted to serve that airport, even if it serves a nearby one.
If an arrival procedure doesn't serve the destination, pilots should file direct to a nearby point or the airport itself; alternatively, they can fly an approach to a served airport and then cancel IFR to proceed to their intended destination.
Circling to the same runway as the approach is an unusual maneuver that might be considered if unable to land straight-in, but specific prohibitions (e.g., "NA at night") usually indicate unlit obstacles or other safety concerns making that runway ill-advised under certain conditions.

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Can You Get There?

Here’s the basic question: If no arrival from your inbound direction is published for your destination airport but one is published for a nearby airport, can you file and fly that arrival even though it is not charted to serve your destination?

As an example, in Oklahoma City no arrival is published from the west for Sundance (KHSD). However, one is published for Wiley Post (KPWA) which is only five miles away. It is the DAWKS1 and serves KPWA after starting at ROLLS. I realize you can always ask a controller for vectors to your actual destination but since that destination (KHSD) is not served by this arrival, is that an acceptable plan?