unmonitored navaid

[John Gaitskill]

I've had different responses using an unmonitored navaid. When a NOTAM says ILS or VOR unmonitored, it's not necessarily different from INOP for purposes of an IAP. I've had ATC deny me a VOR approach when it was unmonitored. I clearly heard the identifier code and had a good flag, but when I asked for the approach, the controller said unable because it was unmonitored. I asked for a contact approach and went back to a hole I saw and landed. Other times ATC cleared me for an approach even though the navaid was NOTAMd as "unmonitored". What's the official status for a NAVAID that is NOTAMd unmonitored?

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

I've had different responses using an unmonitored navaid. When a NOTAM says ILS or VOR unmonitored, it's not necessarily different from INOP for purposes of an IAP. I've had ATC deny me a VOR approach when it was unmonitored. I clearly heard the identifier code and had a good flag, but when I asked for the approach, the controller said unable because it was unmonitored. I asked for a contact approach and went back to a hole I saw and landed. Other times ATC cleared me for an approach even though the navaid was NOTAMd as "unmonitored". What's the official status for a NAVAID that is NOTAMd unmonitored?

John -- Folks around here fly "UNMON" ILSs just about every night at HPN. I see nothing in the AIM, or the .65W that prohibits a pilot from flying an approach when the underlying navaid is unmonitored, or a controller from issuing such a clearance.

Indeed, one section of the .65W (4-6-7) states: "Separate an aircraft holding at an unmonitored NAVAID from any other aircraft occupying the course which the holding aircraft will follow if it does not receive signals from the NAVAID."

I read this as permitting ATC from assigning an aircraft to hold at an unmonitored navaid, at least when receiving signals from the navaid.

[John Gaitskill]

I figured the controller who didn't want to issue a clearance using an unmonitored navaid didn't know it was ok.

As for HPN, what is going to change in March regarding the unmonitored status of the ILS?

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

I figured the controller who didn't want to issue a clearance using an unmonitored navaid didn't know it was ok.

As for HPN, what is going to change in March regarding the unmonitored status of the ILS?

John - That I don't know. I figure it's like the end date for the notams at TEB about red fox on the runway....how they know the fox will be gone by Nov 24 at 1100Z, I'll never know!

(I'll ask the tower chief next I see him)

[Dave Siciliano]

The ILS at KGYH (Greenville, SC) has been NOTAMed as monitored many times when I've flown out there. I've been routinely cleared by Greer and went to minimums one night.

[Jeff Hartmann]

There used to be an ILS, I think at McCullom, GA, RYY, that was notamed LOC only at night. The glideslope back then was monitored by the tower and when closed the GS was working but notamed out.
I was going in one night and got cleared for the ILS, I said...you mean the LOC, no the ILS, when I mentioned the chart note, he said, News to me...

[Todd Alfes]

There's nothing about an unmonitored NAVAID that prevents you from shooting an approach - it's done every night at airports after the tower closes. Indeed, if your flags are good, the approach is good - EVEN IF THE MONITOR IS IN ALARM. A monitor alarm does not mean "out of service" is means "check for trouble". The flags on your receivers are more reliable than the monitor circuits.