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Filing alternate airport about gps approach

Asked by: 4441 views FAA Regulations, General Aviation

I have a question about filing an alternate airport.

  1. if my destination airport has a gps approach only(WX not meet 1,2,3rule), can i file an VFR airport(VMC from MEA to Airport) for alternate, or file an IFR airport which has another type of approach(ILS, VOR, etc..) (WX meet at ETA) ?
  2. if my destination airport is VFR airport, can i file an airport which has gps approach only(WX meet at ETA)? or i need other airport(VFR or IFR which has an another approach except gps)?

1 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Jan 19, 2016

    The FAA makes the distinction between an airport that has part 97 instrument approaches established at it and those that do not. I assume you mean the former when you refer to IFR airport and VFR when you refer to the latter.

    The current FAA AIM guidance for an IFR GPS equipped aircraft is:

    1) Non WAAS – either the destination or the alternate may have an approach which requires the use of GPS, but not both.
    2) WAAS – both the destination and the alternate may have an approach which requires the use of GPS.

    In addition to an approach with GPS in the title, an approach which you must use GPS as a substitute for NDB or DME is an approach which requires the use of GPS.

    So the answer to the first question is yes.

    The second question is also yes, you may file to a VFR airport and use an alternate that requires GPS.

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