Which Three Approaches?

Mark Kolber

Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 07:43 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The FAA's "Glaser" (2008) and "Pratt" (2012) interpretations for instrument rating cross-country flight requirements were highly restrictive, mandating "three different kinds of navigation systems" rather than "three different kinds of approaches," and excluding radar-based approaches.
These interpretations became problematic due to the decreasing availability of diverse ground-based navaids and the rise of modern GPS/RNAV systems, making it difficult for pilots to fulfill the requirement.
On February 28, 2022, the FAA Chief Counsel rescinded the "Glaser" and "Pratt" interpretations, clarifying that the regulation requires "three different kinds of approaches" and that radar approaches (ASR/PAR) are permissible.
While the restrictive interpretations have been removed, official guidance from FAA Flight Standards detailing what qualifies as "three different kinds of approaches" is still pending, though a draft revision to Order 8900.1 is in progress.

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Aeronautical experience requirements for the coveted instrument rating include a dual cross country flight. On February 28, 2022, the FAA Chief Counsel rescinded two earlier interpretations regarding the required content of that flight. But the rescission doesn’t end the story or the questions. As of this writing, there is an important question outstanding. We will discuss some thoughts about what we think is likely, but we need to await final word from the FAA.

Three Different Approaches