Narrative:

Aircraft was a military trainer. It arrived on an IFR clearance to do several approaches. Departing kmgm runway 10 after a VOR-a approach; the pilot had previously requested an RNAV/GPS-10 approach. I initially turned the aircraft southeast to about a 210 heading at 2;000 to get the aircraft headed the right direction; then to a 250. Since the aircraft was clear of other traffic and in the published terminal arrival area for jarux; I cleared it direct to jarux; climb and maintain 3;100 until jarux; cleared RNAV runway 10 approach. The aircraft read back the clearance and climbed to 3;100 MSL. A couple of minutes later; I noticed that the aircraft was at 2;000 and had turned northbound. This was about 5 miles prior to jarux. Since this is not the way that the procedure is flown; I asked for intentions; the aircraft responded that they were going to the FAF to fly the approach. Recommendation; improve military flight training. It seems that the emphasis is on flying various components of approach procedures. The crews often ask to join approaches at non-standard points and in non-standard methods so that they can get their trainee to fly an arc even if the arc is from the wrong direction or hold at non-standard points so that they can hold. It would not surprise me if many military pilots can't fly an approach the right way; because the training is so segmented. Don't know if that is what happened here; only that this pilot; and apparently the instructor; didn't know how to fly an RNAV approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MGM Controller voiced concern regarding Navy Training aircraft that frequently are unclear as to what portion of the approach they intend to practice; sometimes making unexpected turns.

Narrative: Aircraft was a military Trainer. It arrived on an IFR clearance to do several approaches. Departing KMGM Runway 10 after a VOR-A approach; the pilot had previously requested an RNAV/GPS-10 approach. I initially turned the aircraft southeast to about a 210 heading at 2;000 to get the aircraft headed the right direction; then to a 250. Since the aircraft was clear of other traffic and in the published Terminal Arrival Area for JARUX; I cleared it direct to JARUX; climb and maintain 3;100 until JARUX; cleared RNAV Runway 10 Approach. The aircraft read back the clearance and climbed to 3;100 MSL. A couple of minutes later; I noticed that the aircraft was at 2;000 and had turned northbound. This was about 5 miles prior to JARUX. Since this is not the way that the procedure is flown; I asked for intentions; the aircraft responded that they were going to the FAF to fly the approach. Recommendation; improve military flight training. It seems that the emphasis is on flying various components of approach procedures. The crews often ask to join approaches at non-standard points and in non-standard methods so that they can get their trainee to fly an arc even if the arc is from the wrong direction or hold at non-standard points so that they can hold. It would not surprise me if many military pilots can't fly an approach the right way; because the training is so segmented. Don't know if that is what happened here; only that this pilot; and apparently the instructor; didn't know how to fly an RNAV approach.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.