Was doing a few instrument approaches today for practice and for FAA currency…
Has anyone ever really figured out what is intended by
“intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigational electronic systems”
I mean, I do log that in order to be compliant, but in reality, when flying instrument approaches we do exactly that all the time, so it does seem totally redundant…
Allow me to add to that the other controversial bit: holding patterns.
The full requirement is:
Very very few instrument approaches involve flying a hold. That must be even more true in the USA. So, the 6/6 FAA IR currency cannot be used by US based pilots either 
Yes, but you can just fly a hold anywhere. Doesn’t need to be part of a pn approach procedure.
Plus the first and the second are not redundant. The first and the third are.
Any IFR flight involves intercepting and tracking courses unless it is a UK ‘freestyle’ IFR flight. I can’t imagine that is a problem. As to holds – we are talking one every six months. I get enough through normal approaches but if not just do one twice a year.
“intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigational electronic systems”
I think this is more relevant in the US where you often get clearances involving intercepting radials.
The nearest I’ve ever come to that in Europe is intercepting a localiser as part of a vectored ILS or a DME arc and the instruction I get most of the time when I fly to Biggin Hill: “Direct LAM leave LAM heading 180”.
I guess either of those meets the letter of the definition.
Yes, but my point is: even any kind of approach meets that definition.
So why does it exist, in addition to the “six approaches” thing?
As to holds – we are talking one every six months
One every 6m or six every 6m?
This is why pretty well everyone focuses on the 6 approaches. The other are essentially embedded IMHO.
The number of holds is not specified, so one would suffice.
Tracking and intercepting is interpreted by everyone I know over there to be flying an IFR route which must involve getting onto a course and flying it.
