"Cleared for the approach" - which altitude can you descend to?

On procedural: you will be given an IAF, you can descend to 25nm TAA of sector you are coming form, then platform altitude of plates up to FAF/FAP, then MDA…however, you need clearance to land bellow MDA

On radar vector: ATC need to answer that question for you with their MVA chart and it depends on their procedures but I would first intercept, descend to platform altitude and go along glidepath

Some people claim you need ATC clerance to descend on glidepath, I never asked for it (I never asked if I can use breaks on the runway after landing neither?)

I think the only case where it’s odd, is when TAA Altitude < Platform Altitude on your inbound sector with higher hold altitude published, there is no correct or wrong answer but you surely need to know what you are doing…

This is country (ATC) dependent.

Normally, “cleared for the approach” authorises you to immediately descend to the IAP platform altitude.

The problem is that you remain responsible for obstacle clearance (unless vectored) which could create a liability on ATC (most pilots don’t have a good terrain awareness, under IFR) which is why in most places ATC will give you appropriate descent instructions, to the platform altitude, beforehand, according to their MRVA (min radar vectoring altitude) profile.

“Cleared for the approach” authorises you to fly the entire procedure, all the way down. You still need a clearance to land though.

More reading

Normally, “cleared for the approach” authorises you to immediately descend to the IAP platform altitude.

If within 5 degrees of the QDR on the procedure turn outbound and not subject to step down minimum altitudes. Normally you descend to the relevant MSA on an RNP IAF, and then to platform on the run in to the FAF.

I there a reference for this, Robert?

It sounds sensible, given the pilot is responsible for his obstacle clearance unless vectored, but is obstacle clearance on an IAP really based on being within 5deg on the outbound leg? I would expect quite a bit more leeway there.

I am sure one can come up with load of MVA, TAA, IAF, FAA scenarios !

In France, on vectors I do get cleared for approach higher than platform altitude when MVA > FAF as it’s usually some remote controller who can’t clear me too low on a remote terrain, that is not the case when ATC in airfield have radar…

I think it’s more complicated, here are some concrete funky examples

Southend: I could join at 1800ft on TAA to IAF+ILs or 1500ft on RV+ILS, ATC expect me to be min 2500ft on Procedural ILS and min 2000ft on Radar ILS

Scilies: non-radar procedural NDB, ATC expect you to be inbound at 2kft before spiral in the NDB hold (apparently it’s the TAA of Lands End to use but they seem to want these aligned) or 1500ft on “VOR arrival”, on TAA, I could be inbound at 1400ft from Azores before climbing

@Peter good question will try and find out, but it applies on an IR. For example the platform altitude for the Oxford procedural ILS is 1,800 feet, but the MSA (not MVA) is 2,300 feet. You can descend on the procedure turn outbound to 1,800 feet, which is lower than MSA, and also MVA in parts, and it would be logical there is a protected lateral area for the procedure turn.

Much will depend on the altitude you are at when you receive the clearance and the type of approach. There are limits to the rate of descent you can make on a procedural turn outbound and inbound. If you are not given permission to descend until late it can get a bit difficult to get to the platform altitude by the IAF.
At Southend coming from the south you are often asked if you can make the altitude for the IAP. The first time I went into Southend I was held higher than I wanted to be over the south bank of the Thames couldn’t make the glideslope without a descent which would have had my passenger screaming in pain and needed to be vectored around an orbit to give me enough time to descend comfortably and maintain separation with other traffic.
But in general your descent will have been approved along with the altitude you can descend to before rhe IAF, then once you are cleared for the approach you can follow the altitudes given on the IAC unless requested to do otherwise.

The “normal” case is that you are descending to the procedure from cruise, and here the rule is actually quite simple. If you are cleared for the procedure, you are cleared to follow both the horizontal and vertical profile, and these profiles are designed to be terrain safe. So you can (and indeed should) descend to the minimum altitudes in the procedure as appropriate.

But since that can be undesired for separation purposes, in the UK the clearances are split, and you normally get a separate vertical clearance, for example “intercept the localiser, when established descend with the glide path”. IIRC this was introduced after someone dived down to the platform altitude on final approach after an approach clearance, creating a conflict with traffic below. Sometimes UK ATC does the tedious thing of clearing you to intermediate altitude steps; I personally hate that because it increases workload unnecessarily (Thames Radar, if you are listening – stop it!)

The rule is less clear if you are below the procedure altitude; you are already off the procedure; so how do you get back to a position that is in line with the procedure? I would not want to figure this out on the hoof and ALWAYS ask for instruction / clarification.

Simple answer is:

Can you complete the procedure on the last ATC alt clearance? Maintain it.

Example: Radar vectors to intercept ILS.

„EU-ROGA, descend 4000ft, turn right HDG 330°, cleared ILS 34, report established.“
You’ll intercept the GS at 4000 vs 3500 on the chart.

Do you need stepdowns, or is it a full procedure, to complete the approach? Descend according procedure.
„EU-ROGA, descend 5000ft, cleared VOR approach RWY34, report established.“ Once passing the IAF, IF and FAF, you can descend accordingly.

If you’re on a STAR, watch out for
„Cleared ABC STAR/TRANSITION and PROFILE“
„Descend via ABC STAR/TRANSITION“
= follow laterally and vertically.