Instrument Approach Clearance

AIM ¶ 5-5-4 — Instrument Approach Clearance

AIM 5-5-4 explains pilot and controller responsibilities during instrument approaches, IAP restrictions, altitude rules, and cold temperature limitations.

In Plain English

AIM 5-5-4 divides responsibilities between pilot and controller during an instrument approach.

Pilot responsibilities:

Remember ATC clears you based only on known traffic — separation from unknown VFR traffic is still your job.
Fly the IAP exactly as charted, obeying all restrictive notes (e.g., not authorized at night, not authorized when tower closed, radar required, not authorized without glideslope).
When circling, do not descend below circling MDA until in position for a normal final descent. Use sound judgment based on aircraft capability, position, altitude, and airspeed.
If cleared for the approach while on an unpublished route or radar vectors, maintain the last assigned altitude (and IFR minimums) until established on a published segment, then follow charted altitudes.
Watch the briefing strip notes box for temperature limitations: a baro-VNAV range on RNAV (GPS)/RNAV (RNP) procedures, and/or a Cold Temperature Airport (CTA) snowflake icon.
Coordinate any cold-temperature altitude corrections in the intermediate or missed approach holding segments with ATC; corrections in the final segment do not require notification.

Controller responsibilities: Issue the approach clearance based on known traffic, and only after the aircraft is established on a published segment — or assign an altitude to maintain until established.

AIM Source Text

FAA AIM ¶ 5-5-4

5-5-4. 5-5-4. Instrument Approach Pilot. Be aware that the controller issues clearance for approach based only on known traffic. Follows the procedure as shown on the IAP, including all restrictive notations, such as: Procedure not authorized at night; Approach not authorized when local area altimeter not available; Procedure not authorized when control tower not in operation; Procedure not authorized when glide slope not used; Straight‐in minimums not authorized at night; etc. Radar required; or The circling minimums published on the instrument approach chart provide adequate obstruction clearance and pilots should not descend below the circling altitude until the aircraft is in a position to make final descent for landing. Sound judgment and knowledge of the pilot's and the aircraft's capabilities are the criteria for determining the exact maneuver in each instance since airport design and the aircraft position, altitude and airspeed must all be considered. REFERENCE- AIM, Para 5-4-20 , Approach and Landing Minimums. Upon receipt of an approach clearance while on an unpublished route or being radar vectored: Complies with the minimum altitude for IFR; and Maintains the last assigned altitude until established on a segment of a published route or IAP, at which time published altitudes apply. There are currently two temperature limitations that may be published in the notes box of the middle briefing strip on an instrument approach procedure (IAP). The two published temperature limitations are: A temperature range limitation associated with the use of baro-VNAV that may be published on a United States PBN IAP titled RNAV (GPS) or RNAV (RNP); and/or A Cold Temperature Airport (CTA) limitation designated by a snowflake ICON and temperature in Celsius (C) that is published on every IAP for the airfield. Any planned altitude correction for the intermediate and/or missed approach holding segments must be coordinated with ATC. Pilots do not have to advise ATC of a correction in the final segment. REFERENCE- AIM, Chapter 7 , Section 3 , Cold Temperature Barometric Altimeter Errors, Setting Procedures, and Cold Temperature Airports (CTA). Controller. Issues an approach clearance based on known traffic. Issues an IFR approach clearance only after the aircraft is established on a segment of published route or IAP, or assigns an appropriate altitude for the aircraft to maintain until so established.

Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1If you receive an approach clearance while being radar vectored, what altitude do you maintain?

Per AIM 5-5-4, maintain the last assigned altitude (while complying with IFR minimum altitudes) until established on a segment of a published route or IAP, at which point published altitudes apply.

Q2During a circling approach, when may you descend below the circling MDA?

Per AIM 5-5-4, the published circling minimums provide obstruction clearance, and pilots should not descend below the circling altitude until the aircraft is in a position to make a normal final descent for landing — based on judgment of aircraft position, altitude, and airspeed.

Q3What two temperature-related limitations might appear in the notes box of an IAP briefing strip, and when must cold-temperature altitude corrections be coordinated with ATC?

Per AIM 5-5-4, the two limitations are a baro-VNAV temperature range on RNAV (GPS) or RNAV (RNP) procedures, and a Cold Temperature Airport (CTA) snowflake icon with a temperature in Celsius. Corrections on the intermediate or missed approach holding segments must be coordinated with ATC; corrections on the final segment need not be reported.

Related Paragraphs in AIM Chapter 5

¶ 5-5-1

Pilot/Controller Responsibilities