Peter wrote:
Due to a TBM arriving, about 20nm to go to TUKVI and still at the 5000ft cruise I got a DCT OKPEM
Spacing required. I´d proceed to OKPEM (IAF) expecting to receive “cleared ILS13 approach” sometime later. Arriving at OKPEM I´d enter the published hold (parallel entry) and if already cleared I´d use this parallel entry as a course reversal and fly the ILS13 approach. If I thought I got forgotten I´d “request ILS13 approach” when finishing the parallel entry being inbound OKPEM. If no clearance received I´d hold at OKPEM.
Peter wrote:
The ATCO said “fly the racetrack to ILS13”
Incorrect terminology, it´s a published hold.
Researching on ‘racetrack vs. hold’ there is quite some confusion on the subject.
The racetrack procedure has the same shape as a holding pattern but with different operating speeds and outbound timing. The inbound track becomes the intermediate or final segment of the procedure.” (PANS-OPS Volume II, Part 1, Section 4, Paragraph 3.4.2).
Why racetrack procedure: sufficient distance is not available in a straight segment to accommodate the required loss of altitude and when entry into a reversal procedure is not practical. Racetrack procedure may also be specified as an alternative to reversal procedure to increase operational flexibility.” (PANS-OPS Volume II, Part 1, Section 4, Paragraph 3.4.1).
Maybe a bit complicated language so: if the the oval is unusually long and the inbound track is the same as the intermediate or final approach track it might be the racetrack, as in LKVO below.
UdoR wrote:
So just to confirm for me: what Peter did was actually the racetrack procedure?
No, it was (incomplete) hold.
The basic issue here is that there is a reason why an ATCO is a human, and a pilot is a human, and they speak this funny thing called “language” which as a concept was developed many thousands of years ago. That enables quite a useful form of communication.
In this case one of the two was unable to communicate in the language that’s required, so any ambiguity could not be resolved 
Of course that is controversial as hell.
The ATCO was simply unable to speak English, and the SOP for that in the ATC world is to not reply, so no evidence is on the “tape”.
Lille is normally OK, IME, but maybe that is because the dealings with them are very simple normally – basically just handovers, or vectors to ILS.
FWIW, I got a cleared for the ILS when heading towards the LOC.
Destinatus wrote:
Why racetrack procedure: sufficient distance is not available in a straight segment to accommodate the required loss of altitude and when entry into a reversal procedure is not practical. Racetrack procedure may also be specified as an alternative to reversal procedure to increase operational flexibility.” (PANS-OPS Volume II, Part 1, Section 4, Paragraph 3.4.1).
In most procedures I’ve seen, the racetrack is used for operational flexibility. With a base turn, you typically has only a 60° entry sector, so if you arrive from within the other 300° you have to self-position to the entry sector. With a racetrack you can enter from any direction.
UdoR wrote:
arj1 I think what NCYankee said is quite reasonable, that the turn procedure already counts as a first round. It’s also 4 minutes, just like a round in a holding. So why do a second round?
@UdoR, sorry wasn’t that clear – I put (incomplete) in brackets like that to emphasize the optional nature of “incomplete” – some may it was a complete hold, some would say incomplete. My main point was that he should have been instructed to enter hold and then, after reaching OKPEM, cleared for procedural ILS 13 approach, after establishing on the inbound track to OKPEM. My main objection was to “racetrack” terminology – in my IR theory training it meant the same things as ICAO mentions, not the normal hold.
We don’t know what communication there was before the phrase “fly the racetrack” was used. We do know that the term “racetrack” is part of English aviation phraseology and has a specific meaning. It’s shape is blindingly obvious to anyone who has seen an athletics stadium so can be found on an approach plate. You are flying IFR and could be in IMC so there should be no ambiguity between whether the controller means the oval on the plate and a racetrack on the ground.
So having got that lot out of the way Peter was at TUKVI at 5000ft. and gets sent to. TUKVI is an IAF on a special clearance which I assume Peter was not given.
So I am assuming others must have already been cleared for the approach otherwise it would have been simpler for Peter to be cleared for ILS13 and for him to fly straight in. He would of course had to descend 3000ft in 5miles in order to catch the glide slope. 600ft per nm. Possible but maybe a little uncomfortable (at 120knt appr speed it equates to 1200ft per min).
Anyway I digress. For one reason or another rather than clearing Peter for the approach at TUKVI she needed to send him to the IAF OKPEM. I assume Peter has already requested the ILS13. He does not say where he was cleared for the approach or if and when he was cleared to descend.
He does say he was cleared for the ILS at the localiser, but to get there he must surely have been cleared for the approach via OKPEM -OLMAV -TUKVI as printed on the IAP.
OKPEM is I believe a fly over. I estimate that between TUKVI and OKPEM one would be on a heading of something like 095° – 100°. perhaps even 110°. Putting aside the phrase “Fly the racetrack” If cleared for the approach and descent during the TUKVI to OKPEM how would you all on here exercise the turn onto the 313° to OLMAV starting overhead OKPEM without leaving or infringing protected airspace and how far up the leg from OKPEM to OLMAV would you join it on a direct level 1 turn using autopilot.
@Emir in the interest of learning can you tell me more about the split “S” and where I can reference it?
I need to go and wade through the garden to get something. Later.
gallois wrote:
Putting aside the phrase “Fly the racetrack” If cleared for the approach and descent during the TUKVI to OKPEM how would you all on here exercise the turn onto the 313° to OLMAV starting overhead OKPEM without leaving or infringing protected airspace and how far up the leg from OKPEM to OLMAV would you join it on a direct level 1 turn using autopilot.
As you say, if you arrive from the direction of TUKVI, it is not reasonable to make a turn at OKPEM towards OLMAV. If I came from the direction of TUKVI, was cleared to OKPEM and then was cleared for the approach without any other instructions, I would ask for clarification from ATC. If I did not get any clarification (e.g. in a com failure situation) I would reverse course in the hold before setting off towards OLMAV.
(By the way, OKPEM is not charted as a fly-over waypoint.)
Are you sure? I thought IAFs were always fly over, but I am not 100% on that.
I should have written IAFs which are also a holding pattern fix.
