Ils, gps, ifr. Vfr

I have been a simmer since 2000. But I've recently decided to get more into the esoterica. I fly mostly Jets, and have always been guided by ATC. In real-life, would a pilot be allowed to fly WITHOUT it? Can you just land a jet without anyone knowing about what you're doing. For instance, if atc assigns a visual landing, how does that work? With no atc how do you know when to land, other aircraft, etc? I usually ask for an ils if they assign me a visual. How can a jet make a visual landing? Sorry for going on and on. Rich Dunn

I am far from being an expert and I normally fly IFR with ATC direction. I know that commercial jet pilots get ocassional visual landings, weather permitting, to keep their flying skills from deteriorating. If given a visual landing at any controlled airport, tower will keep you aware of any aircraft in your path and be certain to give you a go-around, if necessary.

Ok then what do you do? Use the GPS? Are all the things like ILS clearance, taxi and takeoff handled by ATC?

BTW, thanks you answer is really a good start> Richmart

A pilot must talk to Air Traffic Control in airspace classes A, B, C and D, whether he's in a jet or not, whether in an airliner or not. In the U.S., class A airspace is all that airspace at and above 18,000 up through 60,000 feet. Class B is that airspace (usually) within 30 miles or so (at varying altitudes) of a major airport such as Denver, O'Hare, Kennedy, etc. Class C is airspace surrounding somewhat smaller airports such as Colorado Springs, CO. Class D is within 5 statute miles of an operating control tower, perhaps Jeffco (BJC) or Centennial (APA).

 

So it's the type of airspace and not the aircraft type that dictates talking to ATC.

 

Also, any pilot who has filed an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules)* flight plan must have an ATC clearance which usually (not quite always) entails talking to ATC.

 

At "uncontrolled" airports, that is, airports without an operating control tower, ANY airplane may takeoff, land and operate in the traffic pattern and/or vicinity (in the U.S.) with no requirement to talk to anyone at any time. Basically ALL airplanes must adhere to the same set of rules for where they are flying, but don't confuse that with the requirements for the PILOT to qualify to fly it or with the requirements of certain operators (airlines and certain others) to have other regulations and/or requirements. I'm only speaking of what's needed for any aircraft in a given type of airspace. FAR Part 91 governs most of that, though charter flying must adhere to Part 135 and airlines must adhere to Part 121.

 

How can a jet make a visual landing?

By looking out the window, same as a lightplane. Yes, you really can fly a jet by looking out the window. In fact, in clear weather the pilot(s) of a jet must maintain separation from other traffic visually, even if they are on an instrument flight plan, just as is true of any other aircraft or type of operation. The visual approach you're probably asking about is actually one of many types of approach clearance that ATC may give a pilot who is on an IFR flight plan, such as ILS, VOR, etc.

 

With no atc how do you know when to land, other aircraft, etc?

There are usually specified traffic patterns and preferred methods of entering, using and exiting traffic patterns. For more detail, read this chapter 7 of the FAA's Airplane Handbook, which shows pictures of and discusses use of airport traffic patterns. But traffic separation (the main function of ATC) is handled at these non-tower fields by see-and-avoid, same as anyone else at those fields.

 

The above discussion assumes that for any aircraft, the field they are using is adequate for that aircraft, and that the weather is fine for flying visually.

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* Actually it's properly called an instrument flight plan. I called it an IFR flight plan just as an aid in understanding.

Yeah, it largely depends on IFR vs VFR rules, really. While VFR you have to abide by cloud restrictions, etc, squawk 1200 unless you request flight flying, and mention your intentions at an uncontrolled airport with a CTAF or what ever.

 

At the airport near me, KFNL, right now it's only CTAF and all planes talk to one another. "N458 on a 5 mile final from Collin." Or N784 on left base for runway 15." Sometimes they mention land markers as well. "N3209 over Walmart for a touch and go on runway 33." Just various things.

 

If you get yourself a scanner, i.e "police scanner" as what most people call them, then if you live near an airport you can monitor the CTAF for the uncontrolled area and know the lingo. Alternatively, go here and listen to your heart's content, and follow the planes on here.

 

I once saw several news choppers over the Narrows bridge in NY and was wondering what was going on. SO know that many news organizations stream their content I found ABC7 I think it was out of NY and sure enough they showed their live chopper footage and it was a cattle truck that was involved in a MVA on the Narrows bridge. :D Technology these days is certainly amazing. You can even follow ships here and there are other sites.

 

Off topic, but speaking of maps, check this site out: http://www.globalincidentmap.com/map.php#

Flights over China, yet the media says there aren't so many. This is taken at 16:01 Beijing time.