PilotEdge Forums

I'm posting this after I flunked my I-7 rating, but I want to make it clear that I'm NOT trying to comment on the controller - I did not follow an instruction and I was (rightly) failed.

Having said that, I do have a question about what the phrase "resume own navigation" implies, especially as it applies to IFR. Here's the context for my question.

There I was, happily flying out of SNA at 4000 feet and a heading of 240 east of V21. Controller comes on line and says:

• Maintain present heading.

• Maintain 4000 feet.

• Intercept V21.

• Resume own navigation.

I, of course, heard everything except for the "Maintain Present Heading" part, especially because the phrase "Resume Own Navigation" caught my ear. So, I started to turn a little more southward, hoping to intercept V21 closer to SXC than I would have if I'd continued along my present heading. The controller said that I was supposed to have maintained my current heading and intercepted V21 - and I get that totally.

So, given that the controller had me pretty much boxed in as far as heading (maintain present), route (intercept V21) and altitude (maintain 4000), what the heck does "Resume Own Navigation" even mean in this situation?

I'd appreciate any input that you can give me on this.

It's a sequence of events....the "resume own navigation" portion means that after you intercept V21, vectors will no longer be provided, and you'll be expected to fly the remainder of your cleared route under your own steam.

There isn't a time, to my knowledge, where you're going to self-vector onto an airway while flying IFR. So, if you find yourself in a position where you believe you have carte blanche with your mode of navigation to join your route, it should be a red flag. The only times that I can think of would be:
1) on a visual approach
2) if you're cleared out of a non-towered field with no course guidance to the first waypoint in your cleared route of flight, in which case, get there however you like (although, again, once you're in a RADAR environment, above the MVA, expect a vector, or direct the fix).

Keith... That makes more sense now. Thanks for the clarification.

Charath

Good to know