Originally Posted by Microburst2002
If you have rnav in the flight plan the ATC can give you direct to RNAV waypoints at any time, even below MSA. You still are responsible for terrain separation, though. RNAV is not prohibited anywhere.
Thanks - that is what I was getting at.
Originally Posted by IO540
You also do not, in practice, fly SID/STAR procedures using raw data. You use a GPS. Most people also use a GPS for NDB/VOR nonprecision approaches. Only an ILS is flown using the ILS receiver...
... For commercial flight, the AOC will include a manual which specifies what you do and how, etc. In general, one is allowed to fly NP procedures with a GPS (or INS) but the underlying navaids need to be functioning (not notamed INOP) and tuned in.
I agree and that is my point - where an OPS manual specifically prohibits using a GPS overlay, or LNAV to fly SIDs and STARs (due to lack of P-RNAV certification) then at which point in the departure may the pilots use a Direct-To?
Microburst2002 has pretty much answered that.
I know this seems pretty pedantic and obscure but airports with exclusively P-RNAV departures are becoming more and more common (as
IO540 has noted in other threads) and I am interested in whether the rules are routinely being ignored or are instead just misunderstood.
It's hard to say "thanks for your input" without it sounding sarcastic - but I assure you I mean it!