Only got nine hits when I searched my Summit Aviation CD of all FAA pubs,
and every hit implied a published approach. I doubt that the regulations
writers ever contemplated that someone would consider an unpublished
approach to have any legal standing. How would you comply with 61.51(g),
which requires that the location and type of each approach be logged?
Logging "PAE ILS 16" looks a lot better than "Podunk VOR approach" when
Podunk doesn't have any approaches at all.

If these home-made approaches were based on a navaid that is a part of a
published approach, I would be concerned about IFR traffic using the same
airspace...although "out in the boonies" makes that unlikely. IOW, I do not
consider the practice to be practical.

Bob Gardner
wrote in message
oups.com...

Have you ever "made up" an approach to a nonexistent airport for the
purposes of training or currency? I mean, to pick a space in the
boonies, and then use nearby navaids to fashion a homemade approach to
an imaginary runway. Some instructors will do this.

Now, I was wondering, is there any way flying such an "approach" could
be loggable towards instrument currency?

(obviously, under the hood, VFR, with a safety pilot. You'd be insane
and illegal to try this with real IMC)

The advantages this could provide are mostly convenience (not having to
deal with the traffic-related delays associated with an approach to a
real airport with real controllers) and also variety -- you could fly
flavors of approaches that aren't available near where you live.

What do you guys thing?

-- dave j



61.57(c)(1):

(c) Instrument experience. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this
section, no person may act as pilot in command under IFR or in weather
conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR, unless within the
preceding 6 calendar months, that person has:

(1) For the purpose of obtaining instrument experience in an aircraft
(other than a glider), performed and logged under actual or simulated
instrument conditions, either in flight in the appropriate category of
aircraft for the instrument privileges sought or in a flight simulator
or flight training device that is representative of the aircraft
category for the instrument privileges sought-

(i) At least six instrument approaches;

(ii) Holding procedures; and

(iii) Intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigation
systems.