Originally Posted by
techaviator13
Thanks for the input. The reason I ask is because yesterday I was flying my first instrument approach in actual without an instructor and I looked down at the GPS and was .5 NM from the IAF and had not yet been cleared for the approach. I wasn't sure exactly what to do so I just started the turn inbound on the approach and queried the controller. She quickly responded with a clearance as if she had forgotten about me. I just wanted to make sure I acted correctly.
Query earlier.
Seriously.
Most of the time when being vectored for the approach, you will be given the final intercept and an approach clearance at pretty much the same point. In the typical trainer, you might hear, "3 miles from MYFIX, turn right heading 320, maintain 3000 until established, cleared for..."
If I didn't hear that, when I knew from my GPS that I was 2 miles from the OM, I'd query.
Without that, there's really no authority for doing anything other than continue on the last-assigned altitude and heading. In your situation it worked out because the controller probably forgot you or was busy with something else, but wanted you to turn inbound. But it could as easily have been that ATC wanted you to cross the FAC for traffic and was going to re-vector you from the other side.