VFR and ILS landings

[Vincent Meier]

This is probably a very noob question, but I have never seen it asked.

If you are flying VFR, is it appropriate to ask to fly an ILS landing if you want to do one?
I know when I fly VFR it is always a visual landing, Could I ask for vectors to the approach? Could I ask for a full approach?
Would I then be considered IFR?, ident with a new squawk code or maybe I have to file IFR while in the seat?

[Mark Hargrove]

I think what you're basically after is a "pop-up" IFR clearance. It's been a long, long time since I did my instrument training, but I have a memory of being on VFR flights and calling up approach control to request practice ILS approaches into VNY. If they weren't too busy they'd always accommodate. As I recall, the ATC dialogue would go something like:

Me: "SoCal approach, Cessna 757VB with a VFR request"
ATC: "Cessna 757VB, SoCal, go ahead with your request"
Me: "SoCal approach, Cessna 757VB, 2 miles east of Filmore VOR, level 5500, we'd like to fly a practice ILS approach into Van Nuys if you're not too busy"
ATC: "Cessna 7VB, SoCal, squawk 6442 and ident"
Me: "6442, 7VB"
ATC: "Cessna 7VB, SoCal, radar contact 3 miles east of FIM, fly heading 040, climb and maintain 6000, vectors for the Van Nuys ILS Rwy 16 approach, Van Nuys altimeter 30.02"
Me: "Heading 050, climb and maintain 6000, 7VB"

...and then fly the approach as directed.

[Keith Smith]

You can do a pop up ifr clnc as described above, or you can do a practice approach under vfr. The controller will either provide separation services, in which case it'll be much like mark's response, except they will throw in a reminder to maintain vfr, or if no separation is going to be provided, you will hear, "practice approach approved, no separation services provided ."

So, there are three ways to shoot approaches, ifr, vfr with sep, and vfr with no sep.