PilotEdge Forums

I was doing an IFR flight into KLAS today. The final leg programmed into my FMS was BLD to KLAS, but as I approached BLD I made the request for vectors to ILS RWY 25L.

Normally, upon receiving an approach clearance and expecting vectors, I would switch my autopilot to HDG mode and remain on current heading until I received vector instructions, but I didn't switch my autopilot and it starting making the turn towards KLAS. After seeing the turn I quickly switched to HDG mode and started turning back to the heading I was on as I crossed BLD.

The controller told me that making the final turn to the airport on my filed flight plan was actually the correct action, and that until directed otherwise, I should follow my flight plan, even the final leg direct to the destination airport. I suppose my assumption that I should remain on current heading has been based on the fact that I always received by approach vectors before I hit the final fix before the airport so I never really had to know what the correct action was.

1. What is the correct action?
2. What if I don't receive vectors by the time I hit the airport? Do I overfly and remain on last heading? Do I join the pattern and circle?

Here's the easy way to think of this - put the departure/destination (airports or fixes) that are in your clearance in-front-of/behind your route. Look at your SID and STAR. If there are any points where the SID or STAR say 'Fly Heading..." inject that instruction into your route in the appropriate place. At that point fly that heading until otherwise instructed. If there is not a "Fly Heading' instruction fly the route as printed with the airports at the beginning and end.

For example: Change the route VNY3.DAG.CLARR2 to KBUR VNY3.DAG.CLARR2 KLAS

That's your cleared route. Upon completion of the CLARR2 arrival, turn direct KLAS because there is no heading at the end of the CLARR2. The CLARR2 arrival ends at BLD VOR.

However, if we open up the VNY3 departure we see the first leg is heading 213. So let's decode the flight plan (write the flight plan out in 'double dot form' or 'fix to fix direct form' --- what you should see on the legs page of your FMS.):

KBUR H213 VNY..IPIHO..TWINE..LANGE..SLAPP..BOGET..PMD..ETHER..DAG..MISEN..CLARR..SKEBR..ISSAR..IPUMY..BLD..KLAS

Notice I put Heading 213 into the fix list after KBUR. This easily tells us not to continue to VNY. Fly the radar vector instead.



Now open up the SADDE7 arrival into KLAX. Starting from SADDE, the legs are SADDE..BAYST..SMO..H068..KLAX.

If you write it like that, you know exactly what to do and you have a way to check if the FMS is reading the procedure correctly too.



So to answer your questions

1) fly the route as you were cleared. Don't guess or get creative. It is literal and there MUST always be a VERBALIZED way to get to the next fix (this includes a heading, radar vectors to the next fix in the list). If a heading is not specified, proceed direct. If the STAR has no heading instructions, don't make any up. Turn direct.

2) If you reach the clearance limit without receiving instruction then you HOLD at the clearance limit and advise ATC. You can hold however you like. Clearance Limit is a fancy way of saying 'the end of your cleared route.'

Thanks for the awesome detail in this reply @_jx. I like the "write the flight plan out in 'double dot form'" notation - I have not seen that before but it does make it very clear when reading the flight plan.

It continues to surprise me how many *assumptions* I make when flying, that situations like this keep exposing. Flying on PilotEdge is so damn valuable - the more I fly, the more situations I encounter that continue to test me and expand my knowledge.

As always, my deepest appreciation to the all the controllers on PilotEdge with regard to how incredibly professional and helpful you are to everyone who flies on this network.

P.S - Now if I can just correctly fly in and out of Whiteman (my white whale airport). I think I have screwed up the approach or departure every single time on both VFR and IFR. Something about that airport...

you'll be a pro soon enough! Keep working on it!