Personally, I am glad to see this clarification-long overdue!

New ATC phraseology for RNAV approaches

Instrument pilots flying RNAV-equipped aircraft should expect to hear some slightly different phraseology from air traffic controllers beginning June 3.

In an effort to avoid confusion about when pilots should perform a hold in lieu of a procedure turn at certain initial approach fixes, controllers will specifically tell pilots they are cleared “straight in” during approach clearances. Also, instead of beginning approaches at an initial approach fix, pilots of RNAV-equipped aircraft may be cleared to an intermediate fix as long as it is on the final approach course and three miles or more from the final approach fix.

“Where adequate radar coverage exists, radar facilities may vector aircraft to the final approach course, or clear an aircraft to any fix 3 NM or more prior to the FAF along the final approach course,” according to the FAA policy statement. “If a hold-in-lieu of procedure turn pattern is depicted and a straight-in area is not defined, the aircraft must be instructed to conduct a straight-in approach if ATC does not want the pilot to execute a hold-in-lieu-of procedure turn.”

Under the new rules, a pilot on a RNAV approach should expect to hear a variation of the following clearance:

“Cleared direct (initial or intermediate approach fix), maintain at or above three thousand feet until (initial or intermediate approach fix), cleared straight-in RNAV Runway One Eight approach.”

The eight-page FAA document also allows controllers to clear pilots for localizer approaches when ILS glideslopes are known to be out of service, and it removes all references to microwave landing systems.

 

Thanks for sharing this Block. I am not even sure what a microwave approach plate looks like, glad they got rid of them.

 

I thought the "straight-in" was already standard, whoops! Used it all the time in 05'-07' when I was flying freight into our home base

 

Since when is "straight in" something new?

 

I don't think it is anything new per se, but there is definitely some confusion when doing a HILO approach when you are approaching the IAF from a direction when you wouldn't normally hold. When you are told "maintain X, cleared the approach", it means that you are going to fly the entire bold line, including a procedure turn or hold.
I usually just ask for clarification or request "direct Y for the straight in RNAV". This will just clarify any confusion.

 

I've read reports from NASA and ASAPs about pilot and controller confusion as to whether or not to do the hold entry as a course reversal or not.

 

True. Once I flew an IFR flight under LIFEGUARD callsign, due to a medical patient in the back, into KSGR Sugarland, TX, with maybe a 1000 FT ceiling. We were west of Sugarland, headed east.

http://dtpp.myairplane.com/pdfs/SC-5/05537R17.PDF

I requested from Approach "shoot the approach from EBOKE and straight in from there" and they told me "proceed to BASGE, cleared for approach". My copilot and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Then another gruffer voice came on and said, disregard ! Proceed direct EBOKE, cleared for approach once at EBOKE (or similar phrase)

So......

 

Since they are slowly getting away from the 'T' and 'Y' arrivals, you soon won't have this problem.

 

awesome, great news

 

Wait, what? I thought the T configuration was going to be the standard in GPS approaches (with the of course, occasional exception.)

My wife really limits my spending, so I stopped getting IFR Refresher-which I found to be a very good way of staying up to date on actual flying related changes.