Question about loss of communication with ATC
 

Hello

I just read this article in the Aviation Herald. I found the reply by 'Captain' interesting.

It made me wonder whether you would always continue to your destination if you lost and could not re-establish any communication with ATC, provided there was no other problem with the aircraft requiring an 'emergency' landing? Is the same true even for long-haul flights? Is it ever possible to return to your departure airport, if say the loss of comms occurred soon after take-off?

I can understand that it would be possible to climb to your cruising altitude, following the filed routing and descend without ATC, but would you not need input from ATC to establish which approach and runway were in use at your destination (assuming you did not know this prior to take-off)?

Even if safe, it must be quite unnerving!

Major airports employ recorded announcements of weather and runway in use, etc. These broadcasts may be broadcast on an airband frequency or on a nav-aid, such as a VOR so the crew will usually know what's going on and ATC will ensure safe separation from other traffic.

If you can maintain VMC to another airport, that is a viable option. However, ATC will otherwise expect you to follow your IFR clearance.