Only official instrument approaches authorised under FAR?

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...

Correct, provided that an instrument letdown is necessary (ie, you're in
IMC).


What about a contact approach? One could even argue that a visual approach
can be flown in IMC since VFR cloud clearance requirements do not apply.

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
. net...

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...

Correct, provided that an instrument letdown is necessary (ie, you're in
IMC).


What about a contact approach? One could even argue that a visual
approach can be flown in IMC since VFR cloud clearance requirements do not
apply.

Good point.

In article ,
"Gary Drescher" wrote:

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
. net...

"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...

Correct, provided that an instrument letdown is necessary (ie, you're in
IMC).


What about a contact approach? One could even argue that a visual
approach can be flown in IMC since VFR cloud clearance requirements do not
apply.

Good point.

No, bad point. Steven knows that neither a visual approach nor a contact
approach is legal in IMC. He's just being deliberately obfuscatory, as
usual.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

No, bad point. Steven knows that neither a visual approach nor a contact
approach is legal in IMC. He's just being deliberately obfuscatory, as
usual.


Please explain how they're illegal in IMC.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
No, bad point. Steven knows that neither a visual approach nor a contact
approach is legal in IMC.

A contact approach requires only 1sm visibility. That's certainly IMC in
class B, C, D, or E.

--Gary

In article ,
"Gary Drescher" wrote:

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
No, bad point. Steven knows that neither a visual approach nor a contact
approach is legal in IMC.

A contact approach requires only 1sm visibility. That's certainly IMC in
class B, C, D, or E.

--Gary

Sigh. I knew I shouldn't have responded to that because we'd get into
something like this. By IMC I meant "in cloud".

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

Sigh. I knew I shouldn't have responded to that because we'd get into
something like this. By IMC I meant "in cloud".


Then you used the term incorrectly. IMC does not mean "in cloud", it means
"meteorological conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from
cloud, and ceiling less than the minima specified for visual meteorological
conditions."

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

It does more than suggest, it states it quite explicitly (for most of us,
neither of the exceptions are likely to apply):

"Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, when an instrument
letdown to a civil airport is necessary, each person operating an
aircraft, except a military aircraft of the United States, shall use a
standard instrument approach procedure prescribed for the airport in part
97 of this chapter."

So the next question, which I'll ask on Peter's behalf is...

Since Part 97 only prescribes approaches for airports within the US (and
presumably associated territories), how does an N-registered aircraft ever
fly an IAP in IMC outside the US?

Julian

"Peter" wrote in message
...

This could be any of MEA, MOCA, MRA?


It couldn't be an MRA. An MRA is simply the lowest altitude at which an
intersection can be determined and should always be above the MEA/MOCA.



Would the pilot be free to choose
the lowest?


The pilot would comply with his clearance.

"Julian Scarfe" wrote in message
...

So the next question, which I'll ask on Peter's behalf is...

Since Part 97 only prescribes approaches for airports within the US (and
presumably associated territories), how does an N-registered aircraft ever
fly an IAP in IMC outside the US?


Probably by being otherwise authorized by the Administrator.