Transitioning from certain STARs to an Approach

#1

So I have a question regarding the transition from certain STARs to approaches that I’ve seen on Infinite Flight. It’s just a question so no need to be rude and tear me apart.

Some of the STARs I’ve seen at some of the airports end at the airport’s VOR, usually directly over the airport. For example, the PARCH3 arrival into John F Kennedy in NY. The arrival takes you to the JFK VOR directly over the airport and doesn’t allow for a smooth transition to an approach like the ILS 31R. You either have to modify the STAR manually to delete the JFK VOR from the STAR (which basically removes the STAR from your flight plan), or you have to disengage LNAV and fly manually to the IAF of the approach.

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This is just one example of a few I’ve seen on IF that bring you to a VOR right over the airport. Most of them will just bring you right to the IAF of the approach. Obviously you’re not going to fly to the VOR then back out to the IAF and shoot the approach so what is the correct way to transition to the approach while keeping the STAR filed in your flight plan on Infinite Flight?

I have moderate real world instrument training and experience shooting approaches but have never experienced this kind of a transition so I’m just asking for my own knowledge 🤷🏼‍♂️

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#2

The real life procedure is that the aircraft will receive radar vectors from a certain point, which I believe is ROBER in your scenario. If I were you, once you reach that point, go direct to the start of the approach and continue from there.

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#3

Most of the times, ATC will vector you after a certain point. Just like in real life.

Check out the LYNXX8 STAR for KVNY in real life:

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That ends right over the airport’s VOR too.

And now check out the ILS 16R approach:

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See how from the VOR, the 325 radial (R-325) goes to the initial approach fix ZIDOM?

In real life, if you lost comms on the arrival, you’d have to fly the entire STAR until the VOR, track the 325 radial to ZIDOM and shoot the approach from there.

Obviously in a non-lost-Comms scenario, ATC will vector you for the final approach course.

Hope that clears things up!

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#4

This is because Infinite Flight’s representation of these STARs isn’t accurate, have a look at the chart below, you can notice how while it ends at the VOR for the transitions to the 4s,13s, and 13s for landing, it states to “expect radar vectors to final approach course” which isn’t represented in IF. Outside of fix to fix navigation such as can be found on RNAV STARs Infinite Flight isn’t really good at demonstrating the correct STARs that involve VTF and VORs and such.

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#5

Yes I’ve noticed that, I knew the VOR was part of the STAR for nav purposes but wasn’t sure if it was really supposed to be part of the STAR in IF since I’ve seen other approaches that basically disregard the VOR in IF.

#6

Yes thank you very much for your detailed answer, greatly appreciated ☺️

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#7

I just wanted to add on a little - to say that at least in the US, STARs take into account lost comms and EFC (expect further clearance) times. If you lost comms on a STAR, and were last told to “expect further clearance in XX minutes,” if you reached prior to your EFC time, you’d simply hold above the VOR till you reached your clearance time limit, then find an initial approach fix to start your approach from. To represent the STAR all the way to the VOR is hence the more accurate procedure.

The limitation in Infinite Flight is that you have to “activate” the ILS approach legs manually, when a controller isn’t present. There’s no “lost comms” scenario (there is, but it usually results in a violation lol)

Or just give yourself your own clearance to fly the ILS.

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