Practice approach approved, no separation services provided (cleared into Delta?)

Posted by Available_Ticket_463@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 4 comments

This question is aimed at Air Traffic Controllers. I tried reading FAA documentation such as Section 8 instrument approaches, but I'm not 100% clear.

If you receive the standard phraseology "practice approach approved, no separation services provided", are you cleared into the Delta? ( the approach is for that Delta)

Or are you responsible for getting the hand off to Tower before you enter the Delta? This came up recently because approach cleared someone for the practice approach without giving them a squawk code and apparently Tower was not aware and was not happy.

Thanks.

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discard1198@reddit

I'm a controller and I'm going to say no you are not cleared into the delta until you establish 2 way coms with tower, but I'm willing to be proven wrong. I would not issue a no separation service provided for a towered airport, and if I did, I'd ship you to tower before the FAF so it wouldn't matter.

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TxAggieMike@reddit

This is an airspace question that is covered during private pilot training….especially on what needs doing on that fancy two-way radio…

FAR §91.129

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-91/subpart-B/subject-group-ECFRe4c59b5f5506932/section-91.129

And AIM 3-2-5

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap3_section_2.html

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Available_Ticket_463@reddit (OP)

I'm not so sure it's as simple as that. Because according to the FAA ATC Handbook, 4-8-11 gives information regarding this clearance. It states when using that verbiage: MAINTAIN VFR, PRACTICE APPROACH APPROVED, NO SEPARATION SERVICES PROVIDED.” Provide traffic information or advise the pilot to contact the appropriate facility.

In this case the the pilot was was expecting to be handed off to Tower, but they were not. (normally they will tack on contact tower to the end of that message.)

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Mispelled-This@reddit

ATC’s rules say they’re required to coordinate if they are talking to a plane in another controller’s airspace.

But our rules say we are required to talk to the facility that owns the airspace we’re in.

So technically both of you should have told Tower you were there, and Tower was right to be mad that neither of you did.

That said, I’ve never heard of any pilot being violated by FSDO for this.