Originally Posted by
USMCFLYR
If the lost comm could be considered an emergency, could you not also start the approach upon arrival? I'm sure if squawking 7600 and under radar surveillence that ATC is clearing the way for you. I would not want to hold at altitude in hard IMC for instance and wonder what was going to possible fail next on my aircraft. Woodfinx - what are your thoughts about that?
USMCFLYR
That is certainly what ATC would LIKE for you to do, and you could probably justify it as PIC emergency authority under normal conditions. ATC will get everyone out of your way and they will annoyed if you hold at the IAF for 30 minutes, shutting down SFO for arrivals.
But there is a reason that you have an ETA/clearance limit and are supposed to comply with it ...what if the comms failure is not just YOUR airplane?
Say Jihad Johny takes out one or more ARTCCs or their comms systems...all of the OTHER airplanes are going to be arriving, on schedule, at the same fix YOU are going to
In that scenario, it's probably best if you don't reach the IAF at the published ALT early. Hopefully your TCAS still works...
You would probably have some idea whether the comm failure was on your equipment or not.