I heard somewhere that if you aren’t cleared (or if ATC doesn’t mention it) to fly a STAR, you will need to hold in the pattern which is specified in the arrival chart. Is this correct, or can I fly it even if it’s not mentioned? So basically, do I have to receive permission from ATC to fly a STAR and enter a holding pattern if not cleared, or can I just fly my arrival route and hold if instructed?
As always in aviation: It depends.
Ther are countries/airports/STARs where you file the arrival and then fly the arrival unless instructed otherwise, there are countries/airports/STARs with holds at the entry fix or somewhere along the STAR that you need to enter without further clearacen, there are things in between. If you give us a specific airport + STAR we’ll probably be able to answer that question properly.
I work on the principle that if ATC is online they can easily see my filed FP. We have a base to work with this way. Unless the ATCO give me a contrary instruction I will continue along my FP.
The other factor is that IF ATC are online I cannot vary my altitude without clearance.
So for me this would trigger my call to ATC as I reach my planned TOD. “APP, QFA063, TOD in 5nm!” And wait for a response. That would trigger the ATCO to manage how I am getting down and would normally come back with “QFA063, descend via the STAR!” Or maybe even “….descend FL110….”
There’s no simple or short answer to this. Every country has different requirements and different points on the flight where you are cleared for a STAR.
My read on this is it depends on what your IFR clearance states. if you were given a clearance to a destination airport, as in, “Cleared to the Frankfurt airport via…” you are not expected to hold whatsoever. That’s certainly true in the US, which is where I have done most of my flying.
I would imagine that no ATC authority would clear you to an airport and expect you to hold somewhere along that route of flight unless it’s explicitly stated by ATC or by a procedure that you are assigned/cleared for.
True, but you will have to look closely at the procedure.
Three examples with different behaviors in Germany (a single country):
GITEX5P into EDDV: When you file this STAR you can fly it without an additional in-flight clearance from ATC. At the end of the STAR you will have to hold at SAS (an IAF). This is the “default” way for how STARs work in Germany.
KERAX5A into EDDF: When you file this STAR you can fly it without an additional in-flight clearance from ATC. It does not end at an IAF, but rather you’re instructed (by the procedure) to just continue on the downwind.
NOLGO2P into EDDH: This has “clearance limit” printed next to NOLGO. You cannot proceed past NOLGO (the STAR entry fix) without an additional in-flight clearance. Should no such clearance be received by the time you arrive at NOLGO you’ll have to hold there.
You see, there are already a bunch of different ways of handling this within just one country - and I’d imagine that other countries will also be creative when it comes to creating procedures and rules around them.
(Note: what I described above is the de jure situation. There are definitely situations where a pilot might decide to follow the STAR despite not having a clearance for it. Not the point of this discussion though 
)
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In the real world you can go no further than the point that you are cleared to. Obviously you cannot just stop and wait so you enter a hold.
In VATSIM however, if the airspace is not being controlled then you can proceed with caution. If the airspace is being controlled you will normally get onward clearance before you arrive at the last cleared point. If you have not received clearence then you are completely entitled to remind the controller.
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Hi,
You write that “When you file this STAR” but at least i don’t file STAR’s in my flight plan when i fly in Germany.
If i for example have filed so my last waypoint is GITEX for EDDV and ATC is super busy and don’t have time to talk to me, should i hold at GITEX or can i continue on GITEX5P and hold at SAS?
You are required to do so, though (unless you file to an IAF, but that is usually only possible at airports that don’t have a STAR). SimBrief will also add them automatically if you prefile via that and the country in which the airport is located requires you to file a STAR (same applies to SIDs).
And that is precisely why you are required to file: you will have been cleared for the filed STAR through your enroute clearance and that STAR will tell you what to do.
Sorry but i think you are wrong about filing a STAR in your flight plan. Exception might be if there is only one STAR available for all runways.
In the EDDV GITEX case, there are 2 possible STAR’s depending on runway in use. GITEX5P (RWY’s 27L/R) and GITEX4R (RWY’s 09L/R) Most STAR’s in Europe (not all) are runway dependent and you can not know which runway will be active until you arrive closer to the airport and are told by ATC or by receiving ATIS information.
How are you supposed to file a STAR in your flight plan in this case? Makes no sense.
Best Rgs / Jan
The German AIP is quite clear: you have to file a SID/STAR unless none exist for the airport in question.
You file the SID/STAR according to the expected runway in use based on the forecast weather and - where applicable - the published preferential runway system.
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