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You do have an option to ask ATC for a clearance that might read, “fly heading abc until receiving the xyz VOR, then proceed direct”.
This service is called radar vectors. If you want this service, just say "request radar vectors direct LAX". You can get this service VFR or IFR, so don't be afraid to ask for it.
There were a number of references to AC20-138A as the rules for all aircraft with GNSS. I learned that Advisory Circulars are not rules, they are advice. They do not govern what you need to do to fly IFR.
This is very true in that advisory circulars are not suppose to be regulatory in nature, but the FAA views many of them to be regulatory, and treats them as requirements. From what I've seen with several FSDO's, AC20-138A is not just a guide, but in fact mandatory for ALL aircraft. Just because we fly an airplane with "experimental" stenciled on the door, we must still comply with all the FAR's that a standard certified airplane has to while flying in the IFR environment, and in order to legally fly an IFR GPS approach, you must be in compliance with AC20-138A. (local FSDO's words) Yes, this is all a very grey area(for experimental airplanes), and we could all debate technicalities all day, but personally I like to look at it from a safety perspective. This AC was written to give guidance for installations of GNSS equipment, and making the installations standard, or at least standard in a basic way such as required annuciators, course deviation indicators, flight and grounds checks, etc. We as experimental airplane builders should voluntarily comply with these rules even if they aren't required; to make our airplanes safer anyway. I ask this question? What if you are flying your $400,000 fully insured LNC4 on a GPS approach and you total the airplane without killing yourself. If your airplane is not found to be in compliance with AC20-138A, is the insurance going to pay? Maybe, but why even go there when it's so easy to follow the AC guidelines. I'm really not trying to stir up a hornets nest, or dispute anything that has been said before. The big difference here is that we are talking about the IFR environment, and safety is what this is all about. As far as VFR goes, having a Garmin GPS396 is hard to beat, and you certainly don't need any sort of guidelines to follow. I'm in the process of writing an article that simplifies the process to comply with AC20-138A (written for the certified world), and will make it available to anyone who wants it at a later date. Ron Galbraith
LNCE-N5ES
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