ATC out to get us?

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
hlink.net...
How about "cleared for takeoff"? The regulation states, " The operator
must receive an ATC clearance from the ATC facility having jurisdiction
for that area before operating an aircraft in that area." If you're
departing VFR from the core airport in a Class B surface area wouldn't a
takeoff clearance meet the letter of the law?

Sure, that seems like a good example. Possibly the only one.

Let's say you're doing practice instrument approaches under VFR near a
Class B boundary, and the approach procedure requires you to enter Class B
airspace. Wouldn't clearance for the approach meet the letter of the law?

If the aircraft isn't flying IFR, I don't see how ATC *can* give a
"clearance for the approach". As far as I know, there's no mechanism under
VFR to receive an instrument clearance. I realize that a controller may
offer IFR-like handling to facilitate the practice approach, but just as the
approach isn't a real instrument approach, neither is the handling a real
clearance.

Is there some regulation that I'm missing that allows an actual approach
clearance to be granted to an aircraft operating under VFR?

Pete