IFR: File to IAF or Airport?

CC268

CC268

Final Approach
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CC268
When you guys file an IFR flight plan, do you typically file to the destination airport or file to an IAF?

Thanks.
 
CC268 said:
When you guys file an IFR flight plan, do you typically file to the destination airport or file to an IAF?

Thanks.
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even eman can answer that one..........file to an airport. IAF is part of the approach, which there could be different approaches per airport.
 
airport with an IAF included when I feel so motivated...I really never have planned to land on an IAF...
 
I always file to the airport and most of the time direct. I’m not trying to advocate one way over the other, but it works for me.
 
eman1200 said:
even eman can answer that one..........file to an airport. IAF is part of the approach, which there could be different approaches per airport.
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Reason I am asking is that I am listening to an IFR Oral Checkride prep audio book from Jason Schappert and he recommends filing to a fix rather than the airport for lost comms reasons:

https://www.m0a.com/ifr-lost-comm-procedures/
 
What are you going to do when you hit the IAF and you're still in IMC? You file to the airport because you want to be cleared to the airport. If you want to include an IAF in your filed route, that's up to you, though it's not strictly necessary.

There are other ERRORS in that article in my opinion.
 
Following the advice of an former instructor I had whom was also a center controller, I file with an two intermediate points between the originating airport and the destination airport. That way, if I have lost comm, they know where I will be prior to shooting an approach to the destination airport.
 
Axtel4 said:
Following the advice of an former instructor I had whom was also a center controller, I file with an two intermediate points between the originating airport and the destination airport. That way, if I have lost comm, they know where I will be prior to shooting an approach to the destination airport.
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I always file the destination airport. I only use intermediate fixes if I am needing to go anything other than direct due to airspace, weather, etc. ATC knows where you are or will be normally, they have radar and can still see you even if you can't talk to them, unless you are in a total non radar environment.
 
Axtel4 said:
Following the advice of an former instructor I had whom was also a center controller, I file with an two intermediate points between the originating airport and the destination airport. That way, if I have lost comm, they know where I will be prior to shooting an approach to the destination airport.
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I’ll argue it doesn’t matter. They are going to clear all the airspace around you and they can only guess what you are really going to do. You’re just guessing the IAF anyway since A. the weather could change or B. you might deviate to another airport so why bother?
 
tsts4 said:
I’ll argue it doesn’t matter. They are going to clear all the airspace around you and they can only guess what you are really going to do. You’re just guessing the IAF anyway since A. the weather could change or B. you might deviate to another airport so why bother?
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Why bother? I tend to look at information on the destination airport including the AF/D and available approaches if I haven't been there recently. It's no big deal to say the wind is usually out of the southwest around here so which runway and approach are most likely. In fact I'd say that is part of prudent planning.
 
Looking at the potential approaches and the AF/D as part of flight planning and filing to a specific IAF hours before arrival are 2 different things. What I’m saying is including the IAF in your clearance really doesn’t do anything for you in a lost comm scenario.
 
If it's IMC and I know the IAP I'll be shooting, IAF

otherwise airport.
 
Walboy said:
I try to include an IAF when possible.
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How often do they give you a clearance which includes the IAF? I tried doing that a few times just after getting my IFR rating (usually travelling from San Jose to the LA area), and the clearance they gave me almost never included the IAF. In fact, usually LA Center would almost always completely change my routing on handoff anyway.

After a few times of this, I stopped bothering to include the IAF.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Larry in TN said:
Gee, too bad the AIM does have any recommendations on how to file an IFR route.
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You mean they should include something totally off-the-wall in the AIM, like "Block 9. Enter the destination airport identifier code (or name if the identifier is unknown)"?

OH, THE HUMANITY!!!
 
Axtel4 said:
Following the advice of an former instructor I had whom was also a center controller, I file with an two intermediate points between the originating airport and the destination airport. That way, if I have lost comm, they know where I will be prior to shooting an approach to the destination airport.
Click to expand...

That instructor, being a center controller, probably had you file that way so that a fix was in different sectors for ATC purposes. Doesn't hurt anything to file that but not necessary either IMO.
 
MauleSkinner said:
You mean they should include something totally off-the-wall in the AIM, like "Block 9. Enter the destination airport identifier code (or name if the identifier is unknown)"?

OH, THE HUMANITY!!!
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The way I stated the original question was poor. I meant what Walboy had stated...of course I would include my destination.
 
Larry in TN said:
Gee, too bad the AIM does have any recommendations on how to file an IFR route.
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I’ve never understood these types of posts on an online forum. If you don’t like the question then don’t bother responding. Unless you get some type of odd satisfaction out of posts like this...o_O
 
CC268 said:
The way I stated the original question was poor. I meant what Walboy had stated...of course I would include my destination.
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So "through" an IAF "to" the destination airport. My sarcasm wasn't directed at you...sorry it came across that way.

At best, I've filed a fix on a STAR, but never an approach fix.
 
MauleSkinner said:
So "through" an IAF "to" the destination airport. My sarcasm wasn't directed at you...sorry it came across that way.

At best, I've filed a fix on a STAR, but never an approach fix.
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Yes exactly. I should correct my OP. Thanks
 
Axtel4 said:
Following the advice of an former instructor I had whom was also a center controller, I file with an two intermediate points between the originating airport and the destination airport. That way, if I have lost comm, they know where I will be prior to shooting an approach to the destination airport.
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Eh? They will expect you to be on your assigned/vectored/expected/filed route (if they are going to even care).

As alluded to in another post, the guidance on random routes is to make sure you put a fix in each center's airspace that you are transiting. While that's advised, in practice it doesn't much get done (though I think the auto flight planners will insert them for you if you put a very long DIRECT route in).
 
In Navy training we were taught to file to an IAF. I quit doing it right after I got my wings.
 
Larry in TN said:
I don't understand why so many make up their own answers to questions to which the official documents already provide an answer.
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Just so you know. I've read the AIM, the IFH, some of the IPH, the PHAK, and several other FAA publications. Do I remember EVERYTHING I read in those documents? NO. Not to mention different books conflict with each other anyways. There isn't always just one right way to do something.

Even if I know a potential answer to something, there is no harm in asking how OTHER PILOTS do things, interpret things, etc. This is an online pilot forum in case you forgot. PoA would be nothing without the questions (yes even if they are redundant and have been asked before) of other pilots, old and new.

Seriously...when people respond in the manner that you did...I wonder, "Wow, is this how they treat other pilots at their local airport? Is this the way they are introducing others to GA?" I expect that the answer is no, because to date I have never met ANYONE at my local airport who wasn't friendly and helpful. Why do you treat an online forum any differently? I probably know the answer to that...
 
Your question was a reasonable one. I remember wondering the same thing.
Best to just ignore the negative comments.
 
Cooter said:
In Navy training we were taught to file to an IAF. I quit doing it right after I got my wings.
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We generally used the IAF as the last fix in the route of flight on a 175 but always used destination airport in the “to” block.
 
I file to the airport as well. I have often been told to file to an iaf as well, but I think that's kind of a tribal thing for lost comm procedures.. which, to be frank, never made a whole lot of sense to me, because when you read back your route clearance you will be cleared to that airport anyway.. and, most airports will have more than one approach and several different initial approach fixes.. so while yes, you might be trying to pick the one that makes the most sense, when you actually lose your comm there's no guarantee that that's still going to be the most favorable approach, or the one you were even cleared to. So, I file to the airport and fly the route that was assigned to me in the event that I lose my comms
 
CC268 said:
Just so you know. I've read the AIM, the IFH, some of the IPH, the PHAK, and several other FAA publications. Do I remember EVERYTHING I read in those documents? NO.
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My comment wasn't directed at you for asking the question. My comment was directed toward those providing the answers. I would have hoped that someone would have provided the applicable info from the AIM instead of a series of conflicting "what I do" answers.
 
Tantalum said:
and, most airports will have more than one approach and several different initial approach fixes.. so while yes, you might be trying to pick the one that makes the most sense, when you actually lose your comm there's no guarantee that that's still going to be the most favorable approach, or the one you were even cleared to. So, I file to the airport and fly the route that was assigned to me in the event that I lose my comms
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Uh huh, that's right, I like this post myself.
 
CC268 said:
Just so you know. I've read the AIM, the IFH, some of the IPH, the PHAK, and several other FAA publications. Do I remember EVERYTHING I read in those documents? NO. Not to mention different books conflict with each other anyways. There isn't always just one right way to do something.

Even if I know a potential answer to something, there is no harm in asking how OTHER PILOTS do things, interpret things, etc. This is an online pilot forum in case you forgot. PoA would be nothing without the questions (yes even if they are redundant and have been asked before) of other pilots, old and new.

Seriously...when people respond in the manner that you did...I wonder, "Wow, is this how they treat other pilots at their local airport? Is this the way they are introducing others to GA?" I expect that the answer is no, because to date I have never met ANYONE at my local airport who wasn't friendly and helpful. Why do you treat an online forum any differently? I probably know the answer to that...
Click to expand...
This board is full of experts that love to be condescending. No harm, no foul bud!
 
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