wrote in message
...

I'm flying a contact approach when I'm cleared for a contact approach,
regardless of what I use to navigate.


You're flying a contact approach when what you're doing has the properties
of a contact approach. Navigation by visual reference to the surface is a
property of a contact approach. If you're not flying by visual reference to
the surface then what you're doing does not have the properties of a contact
approach and thus you are not flying a contact approach.



Just because I must see the ground, doesn't mean I must use ground
references to navigate.


It doesn't say "must see the ground", it says "proceed to the destination
airport by visual reference to the surface". That actually DOES mean you
must use ground references to navigate. That shouldn't surprise anyone.
After all, contact flight is done by visual reference to the surface. If
you take contact flight out of the contact approach what kind of approach do
you have left?