Sao Jose dos Campos ILS DME Y Rwy 15
 

One of our crews passed overhead BGC (Braganca VOR) and was cleared direct to SJC. When they were 15nm from SJC (Sao Jose VOR) under radar surveillance with Sao Jose Approach they were issued the following clearance:

"intercept the ILS DME Y Rwy 15"

Their present course to SJC would not intercept the final approach segment and they believed ATM wanted them to fly to SJC then fly the base turn course reversal and maintain their last assigned altitude. The crew questioned the clearance and received extensive radar vectors to final instead.

What is the appropriate interpretation of the clearance?

Thanks!

Hi Arthur

I fly around the same airspace and this instruction at first I would understand "cleared to intercept the ILS final approach course and proceed on the approach"

If I happen to arrive on an opposing heading I would then ask if I can self position myself the way it suits me best (or them - ATC).

If their intention was to make your friends execute the full procedure then the instruction would be more to line of "Fly direct SJC VOR and then cleared for the approach report outbound"

Hope it helps,

Broomstick Flyer:

The MSA in that area is FL65. If you maintain that until you intercept the ILS from the position described it seems you would be intercepting way too high. OTHO, if you disregard the MSA while offcourse, that seems to be what has caused more than a few CFITs over the years.

I tried this in my G-1000 sim. At 15 DME maintaining 6,500 I turned left 45 degrees to intercept the localizer. I intercepted the localizer about 3,000 feet too high 3 miles from the FAF.

What level/altitude were they cleared to?

I'll have to 2x check but I believe they were at FL080 way too high to safely intercept the localizer and fly the approach.

I Did sometimes this procedure at SBSJ.

Probably because of some traffic, the controller what that the pilot overhead SJC VOR, go in the holding and after on base leg in 320 heading.