Contact Approach: When The Weather Is Too Bad For A Visual 

Many people ask me, “Oh you’re a pilot? That must be really tough to learn.” I smile and reply, “Yeah”, knowing very well that 10% of my aviation knowledge has come from books and 90% has come from videos like these. Thank you!

I still do not understand what a contact approach is from watching this video.

Notes • Visual Approach: ≥1000'cig, ≥3SM reported vis, airport or preceding aircraft in sight. • Contact Approach: COC, 1SM flt vis, reasonably expect to remain in those conditions (doesn't require airport in sight), requires there be a published IAP, there's no MAProcedure, ATC wont initiate a contact approach (must be requested).

Just requested a contact approach on Vatsim. The guy had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and just ended up clearing me for the visual.

You are amazing in the way you teach. Keep up the excellent work!

The videos of you are awesome!!!! Please keep them coming!

The depth of knowledge with all of these videos is amazing.

Your videos are always helpful! My CPL training starts in 2 months so really excited to experience all this. Please upload more videos though. Keep up the good work guys :) Cheers!

I just did my first contact approach the other day! Approach loved it since they never get to do it. Tower, not so much haha. Weather was 2SM and 1000 broken. I was unable to do the RNAV approach that was in use and I remembered at the last minute before I went to my alternate that I could do a contact approach. It was a lot of fun!

Great videos, thanks for posting.

Super clear explanation. This detailed lesson was not included in my ground school lessons of Approaches. THANK YOU!!

Great video. I really like what you guys are doing with the SR22 stuff. Hope there are more to come :)

A VERY GOOD VIDEO. clear and helpful, THANKS for manking this.

Thanks this helped me a lot!

Easy to understand and remember

Thank you

So if the airport has IAPs but my plane is not equipped to fly them (ex: an ILS that requires DME but no DME or GPS installed) can you ask for a contact approach and they just vector and step you down until you have the runway. What’s the minimum altitude they can give you? Do you have to be equipped to shoot the published IAP? So many questions the IFH and the AIM don’t answer.

i think you only need 500 ft above minimum vectoring altitude for visual approach

SLC!!

Even with the arrow pointing where the airport was, I still can't see it in the video. :s Is it different getting the visual in real life or do I need better eye sight?

Just a question, you intercepted the localizer, so what use was it to continue as a visual approach? Since you're already established on final... Just since we have this all the time but ATC clears us for the ILS non the less. Or is that an EASA thing?

Are you guys based out of KAPA?

Contact approach = pointless. Just shoot the approach. You have the runway environment in sight? Good for you. You’re cleared for visual.

Why are your eyes like that?

Why not just request vectors?! You do not _have_to_ fly published star, just ask for vectors to loc

No contact approach 🫠