The AIM and the ATC bible, the 7110.65, say different things about clearing an aircraft direct to an intermediate fix. If you’re not careful, you may end up in a fix yourself.
Straight to the middle
When youre flying a high-tech aircraft, you expect any fix the controller throws at you will be ready to go in your database. Thats probably why an Eclipse pilot accepted a clearance to JISEV for the ILS Rwy 22 approach into Evansville, Ind. JISEV is an intermediate fix (IF) for the approach, and clearing the aircraft to it and then for the approach acts as a proxy for vectoring the aircraft onto the final approach course. Neat and simple for everyone.
Key Takeaways:
- A discrepancy exists between aviation guidance (AIM) and ATC rules (7110.65) regarding clearing RNAV aircraft direct to an Intermediate Fix (IF) for non-RNAV approaches; upcoming updates will standardize this to allow direct-to-IF clearances for any approach type under specific conditions.
- New rules will clarify that pilots cleared direct to a Final Approach Fix (FAF) that is also an Initial Approach Fix (IAF) must fly the Hold-In-Lieu-Of-Procedure-Turn (HILO), unless requesting vectors or using a "NoPT" route, with a specific exception for visual approaches.
- Further changes will permit clearing aircraft for ILS or LPV approaches even if the glideslope is unavailable (if the localizer/LNAV is on the same chart), and reinforce that pilots are responsible for declining clearances they cannot fly.
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