Hi,Probable a very trivial question. I'm flyin GA (Cessna 172 or Baron 58) and do allways fly IFR. Im in doubt about the correct way to leave and arrive to an airport. I know I'm guided if ATC is there. But what about the situation when there is no guidance from ATC. Is there any "rules" for leaving an airport?Any "rules" for approaching an airport? Transition from enroute to STAR (approach chart)?Transition from enroute to an airport without STAR?Best RegardsLars

Ill try and go through your points 1 x 1 ok?First, if you are flying IFR you must be in contact with ATC the entire time. The only exception is from a uncontrolled airport where you are given a valid departure window and you call when airborne, although thats only about 10 sec without ATC :)Now, if you are departing something with a Departure Proccedure (OR DP, or SID for Europe which is Standard Instrument Departure) there are two kinds. The first is vector nav, this is where the departure might give you a basic turn off the runway but no guidance to your departure fix, ATC will vector you to the fix then give you resume own nav, and you will go from the departure fix to the next fix in the Flight plan. A good example of this would be the Newark7 outta KEWR, check www.myairplane.com for how it looks. The other kind is Pilot Nav where the pilot is given a set route on how to get to the departure fix via following VOR radials and such. If you file that type of DP and are cleared with it by Delivery, then ATC WILL expect you to fly the route for your specific fix. Check out KSFO's PORTE3 departure, that is a famous pilot nav. Be cautious that both types of DPs might have crossing restrictions in terms of Altitude and speed. I could say more but this is the basics, if you want more details just askNow for transition from Enroute to a STAR. Often your star will be the last fix for your FP. So say your FP is ABC DEF FGH, and the arrival airport has a star it will be FGH.WhateverStarName. The last fix in your FP is the first fix. The STAR WILL be a set route to get to the terminal area of the arrival airport. STARs most likely WILL have crossing restrictions in terms of speed and altitude so get ready before hand to plan your Top of Descent. If you are approaching your TOD and ATC has not cleared you to descend (which he must) then ask for lower. Now to get from a STAR to approach often ATC will vector you to exit the Star and enter the ILS or VOR or w/e approach you are using. Some STARS have specific routes to get to the IAF (Initial Approach fix) of a given approach, and ATC may request you to fly that if they are busy.Now for transitions from Enroute to approach without a star. I am not an APP or Ctr controller so this is my presumption on my own experiences (I am DEP on Vatsim at ZNY.) Basically what I think happens is that once you get to your final fix in the FP, ATC will just vector you and descend you to where you need to be to join the ILS or w/e approach you are using.Now if you are flying on Vatsim without ATC you need to do all this stuff on your own, then there are basically no rules just announce your attentions on unicom 122.8 and be polite to others and dont zip the airport at 300kts :)Hope I helped!

Thanks Andras,I guess things looks quite different when flying VFR? Its my imporession that many simmers fly VFR but uses the different electronic devices in order to support their navigation. Said in another way: you fly under VFR conditions but do use your instrument as if it was IFR conditions.-Lars

IF you don't have a STAR and you are cleared to the airport (clearence as per your flight plan.. enroute-D-airport). Meaning.. if you are cleared (your flight plan) to an enroute VOR then Direct Airport. and if that VOR is not one of the IAF (Initial approach fix ) to an approach, meaning there is a gap between your enroute fix and an approach), you should be vectored to an approach. But lets say.. your comm failed and no ATC is talking to you. Then you proceed from that last enroute fix/VOR to an IAF of an approach say (an ILS) and you fly that approach in its entirity including Procedure turn if there is one at the expected time of your arrival.Bottom line is...you do what is expected of a person who filed that flight plan. That airspace is reserved for you at that point in time if you have a clearence. (three dim. Lateral, Vertical (alitiude) and Time)Manny

Thanks Manny,And if its a tiny aoirport without any IAP (approach chart) OR if its an airport with IAP but "circle-to-land" I guess you have have to "jump in" to the traffic pattern in a special way??-Lars

If its a tiny airport...without any approach (its in uncontrolled environement), you would not have been cleared to that airport to begin with as part of your IFR clearence in IMC condition. You may however request a clearence to a nearby bigger airport that has an approach with a note in the REMARK section that once you break out of the clouds you would go VFR in VMC condition to a nearby smaller airport.So you would shoot the ILS or VOR or ADF type approach to a airport that has an approach specified and once you break out of the clouds, you may close your IFR flight plan and go whereever.At that time you are doing your regular garden variety VFR landing.If its an airport that has an approach. Yeah..circle to land... is basically that. Downwind, base, final. or just final or base and final.Manny

Thanks both of you for your clearifying answers!-Lars

No problem, if you have any more questions just ask!