Practice Approach Handoff

I was flying in Northern California the other day, VFR without a cloud in
the sky, and asked Oakland Center for a practice ILS approach to Chico, a
nearby towered airport. I said I would terminate the approach with a missed
approach and then depart the area without flight following.

The controller agreed and gave me vectors to final, but said I would have to
fly my own altitudes. I'd never heard that before, but it wasn't a problem
for me. After getting established on the localizer, he told me to squawk
VFR and to go to the tower frequency. I did, and reported my position to
the tower, who acted surprised that I was there and didn't seem to know
anything about me or my intentions.

I thought that when I get a practice approach from Center or Approach, they
coordinate the handoff to the control tower. But that didn't seem to be the
case this time. What do you think was going on? What's normal?

Best,
Dennis

On Oct 19, 8:19*am, "Dennis Johnson" wrote:
I was flying in Northern California the other day, VFR without a cloud in
the sky, and asked Oakland Center for a practice ILS approach to Chico, a
nearby towered airport. *I said I would terminate the approach with a missed
approach and then depart the area without flight following.

The controller agreed and gave me vectors to final, but said I would have to
fly my own altitudes. *I'd never heard that before, but it wasn't a problem
for me. *After getting established on the localizer, he told me to squawk
VFR and to go to the tower frequency. *I did, and reported my position to
the tower, who acted surprised that I was there and didn't seem to know
anything about me or my intentions.

I thought that when I get a practice approach from Center or Approach, they
coordinate the handoff to the control tower. *But that didn't seem to be the
case this time. *What do you think was going on? *What's normal?

Best,
Dennis

What is "normal" is for the controller to coordinate with the tower.
Can't explain why this didn't happen in this case, but IMHO the
controller dropped the ball. The ATCH specifically directs any
controller who is providing radar services to coordinate with any
facility into whose airspace s/he is directing traffic.

Bob Gardner
SAY AGAIN, PLEASE

"bobmrg" wrote in message
...
On Oct 19, 8:19 am, "Dennis Johnson" wrote:
I was flying in Northern California the other day, VFR without a cloud
in
the sky, and asked Oakland Center for a practice ILS approach to Chico,
a
nearby towered airport. I said I would terminate the approach with a
missed
approach and then depart the area without flight following.

The controller agreed and gave me vectors to final, but said I would
have to
fly my own altitudes. I'd never heard that before, but it wasn't a
problem
for me. After getting established on the localizer, he told me to squawk
VFR and to go to the tower frequency. I did, and reported my position to
the tower, who acted surprised that I was there and didn't seem to know
anything about me or my intentions.

I thought that when I get a practice approach from Center or Approach,
they
coordinate the handoff to the control tower. But that didn't seem to be
the
case this time. What do you think was going on? What's normal?

Best,
Dennis

What is "normal" is for the controller to coordinate with the tower.
Can't explain why this didn't happen in this case, but IMHO the
controller dropped the ball. The ATCH specifically directs any
controller who is providing radar services to coordinate with any
facility into whose airspace s/he is directing traffic.

Bob Gardner
SAY AGAIN, PLEASE

My guess is if the center told him to squawk 1200 he was also told radar
service was terminated. It's not necessarily contrary to the ATC handbook,
but not really good form either to dump him off on the tower without
coordinating. There may have been a perfectly valid reason like the
landline was down, but if something like that happened to me I would
probably make a call to the center's QA manager and inquire about it.

Dennis Johnson wrote:

I was flying in Northern California the other day, VFR without a
cloud in the sky, and asked Oakland Center for a practice ILS
approach to Chico, a nearby towered airport. I said I would
terminate the approach with a missed approach and then depart the
area without flight following.
The controller agreed and gave me vectors to final, but said I would
have to fly my own altitudes. I'd never heard that before, but it
wasn't a problem for me. After getting established on the localizer,
he told me to squawk VFR and to go to the tower frequency. I did,
and reported my position to the tower, who acted surprised that I was
there and didn't seem to know anything about me or my intentions.

I thought that when I get a practice approach from Center or
Approach, they coordinate the handoff to the control tower. But that
didn't seem to be the case this time. What do you think was going
on? What's normal?

This is what's normal, taken from the Oakland ARTCC and Chico FCT Letter of
Agreement:


1. PURPOSE. To establish procedures for the control and coordination of
IFR, Special VFR (SVFR), and Practice Instrument Approach operations at the
Chico Municipal Airport. This agreement supplements procedures contained in
the current Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control.

4. PROCEDURES.

d. VFR Practice Approaches



(1) The Center shall advise the Tower if an aircraft is on a "VFR
Practice Approach" when forwarding arrival information. These aircraft may
be provided standard IFR separation.

(2) The term "VFR Practice Approach" shall be used by the Center to the
tower in coordination of non-IFR approaches.

(3) The Tower shall advise the Center when the approach has terminated.



NOTE-

Missed approach is not authorized for VFR practice approaches.

Thanks to Steven, Bob, and Mike for helpful explanations to my question
about my handoff to Tower (or lack of handoff) on a practice instrument
approach in VFR conditions.

Steven said, "Missed approach is not authorized for VFR practice
approaches." So I guess I said the wrong thing when I told Oakland Center
that I would terminate with a missed approach. What I meant was that I
wasn't going to land, I was going to fly over the runway and then depart the
area.

If a missed approach is not allowed, what language should I use to indicate
that I won't land and will depart the area?

Thanks,
Dennis

Dennis Johnson wrote:

Thanks to Steven, Bob, and Mike for helpful explanations to my
question about my handoff to Tower (or lack of handoff) on a practice
instrument approach in VFR conditions.

Steven said, "Missed approach is not authorized for VFR practice
approaches." So I guess I said the wrong thing when I told Oakland
Center that I would terminate with a missed approach. What I meant
was that I wasn't going to land, I was going to fly over the runway
and then depart the area.

If a missed approach is not allowed, what language should I use to
indicate that I won't land and will depart the area?


Just say you'd like a low approach and what direction you'll be departing.

Just say you'd like a low approach and what direction you'll be departing.
Thanks, that will work!

Dennis

Interesting.

Whenever I have done practice approaches, when asked 'How will this approach
terminate' I reply 'Missed approach'. To which ATC will usually say 'Fly
heading xxx on the missed approach' or 'Expect missed approach directions
from the towe'

Maybe what is meant is that flying the PUBLISHED missed is not authorized
for VFR practice approaches???
"Dennis Johnson" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks to Steven, Bob, and Mike for helpful explanations to my question
about my handoff to Tower (or lack of handoff) on a practice instrument
approach in VFR conditions.

Steven said, "Missed approach is not authorized for VFR practice
approaches." So I guess I said the wrong thing when I told Oakland Center
that I would terminate with a missed approach. What I meant was that I
wasn't going to land, I was going to fly over the runway and then depart
the area.

If a missed approach is not allowed, what language should I use to
indicate that I won't land and will depart the area?

Thanks,
Dennis

pgbnh wrote:

Interesting.

Whenever I have done practice approaches, when asked 'How will this
approach terminate' I reply 'Missed approach'. To which ATC will
usually say 'Fly heading xxx on the missed approach' or 'Expect
missed approach directions from the towe'

Maybe what is meant is that flying the PUBLISHED missed is not
authorized for VFR practice approaches???


Order JO7110.65 states:

"VFR aircraft are not automatically authorized to execute the missed
approach procedure. This authorization must be specifically requested by the
pilot and approved by the controller. When a missed approach has been
approved, separation shall be provided throughout the missed approach."

I think the note is just a poorly-worded reminder of that..