Thanks for the replies so far.
Why has this been moved to Ground & other ops forum though??
Regarding maintaining cruise level all the way to IAF I am not sure. It could be taken both ways.
1) You could argue you maintain the FPlaned level (so this would include changes to higher / lower cruise levels as many flight plans have at specified points) and then descend over the IAF but then after the time it takes to descend, you probably will not be in a position to start at approach at EAT / ETA.
2) Your flight plan also specifies a STAR and some do not have at / below altitudes.
HOWEVER for the STARs that DO have an AT / BELOW altitude then surely we should descend to these levels because this is a constraint dictated by the routing we have on our flight plan?
proceed according to the current flight plan route to the appropriate designated NAVAID or fix serving the destination aerodrome and, when required to ensure compliance with
e), hold over this aid or fix until commencement of descent;
commence descent from the NAVAID or fix specified in
d) at, or as close as possible to, the EAT last received and acknowledged; or, if no EAT has been received and acknowledged, at, or as close as possible to, the ETA resulting from the current FPL;
complete a normal IAP as specified for the designated NAVAID or fix; and
land, if possible, within 30 MIN after the ETA specified in
e) or the last acknowledged EAT, whichever is later.
Thanks!