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3 Answers

Approach Notam NA

Asked by: 2881 views Instrument Rating

One of the very few instrument approaches in the area is a RNAV GPS. It was recently published and has had a Notam saying its NA (not authorized). We have been using it for training and it works great, however the local DPEs are saying they cannot use it for an instrument checkride, as long as it’s notam’d NA. Does that sound right? Is there anywhere I could point them to change their opinion? The next closest approach is 3 hours round trip flying. 

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3 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Dec 18, 2018

    Although I sympathize with your situation, I tend to agree with the examiners. For one, in broad terms, you don’t know why the procedure is NOTAM’ed NA. NOTAMs are sent for safety reasons, so it could be anything.

    In addition, you are required during a checkride to fly “instrument approaches.”

    An “instrument approach” is defined in 61.1 as “an approach procedure defined in part 97 of this chapter.”

    14 CFR Part 97 is very short and basically says “all published instrument procedures are incorporate by reference into this part”.

    When a NOTAM is sent on a procedure, it is effectively changing Part 97. If the procedure is NOTAMed NA, then it is effectively being removed from Part 97. And therefore is no longer an “instrument approach”.

    Therefore, I think the DPEs are on solid ground here.

    However, I also wouldn’t really have any problem if the DPEs, given your location, decided to go ahead and use the approach anyway, since the checkride is VFR.

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  2. Russ Roslewski on Dec 18, 2018

    Meant to add – where are you? What approach is this? I’m guessing on a Pacific island or somewhere in Alaska by your scenario.

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  3. KDS on Dec 19, 2018

    Examiners can only use real approaches. A similar issue comes up when there is an NDB or VOR well away from an airport and you might think it would be a good idea to use it with an approach that only used on navigation facility. Other than tune and identify, it would seem to be a reasonable test. However, the FAA doesn’t allow examiners to do that.

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