I was asked about this IF business on approach charts. Sometimes they are there and sometimes they arent. Why bother putting them on the approach chart if they dont have any real significance?
I think that is precisely why they are on the chart - to denote them as a relatively insignificant point in space - and not to be confused with an IAF or FAF.
Take a look at the Kankakee RNAV 22 Approach (KIKK). COYAP has both an IAF and IF depicted that way because COYAP has different functions depending upon where you start your approach. If you use LUCIT for your IAF, COYAP becomes an IF (an Intermediate Fix is just a designation so that the pilot doesnt confuse it for a FAF, or IAF). The LOC 36 into Lansing (KIGQ) gives a better depiction of when an IF is used. In the Lansing example, your IAF is EON (Peotone), you have an IF of TOGOC (which is nothing more than a point that intersects the EON 065 Radial and the Localizer) and the FAF is WOKLA (Even though it says IAF on the chart, in the profile view, the Maltese cross signifies it as such).
Now, heading to COYAP from the north, we received a vector of something like 220 degrees, then direct COYAP a few moments later - which was like a 180 degree heading. Do we really have to do the course reversal? We are basically heading south and it is only about 20 degrees to get on course once you hit COYAP. BUT, check out AIM 5-4-6 (e, 4) and AIM 5-4-9. Basically, if there is a course reversal, or procedure turn depicted on the chart, you have to do it.... Unless... you are being radar vectored onto the final approach course (which probably wouldn't happen on the RNAV22 for IKK because there is no real extended center-line) OR it says No PT (and of course, the test question about timed approaches from a holding fix). A lot of times, controllers give radar vectors to the ILS to get on the final approach course - that's why you can go straight in: "Bonanza 1234, turn left heading 180, intercept the localizer, cleared for the approach".
If we started the approach from LUCIT, we wouldn't do the Procedure Turn. If we started the Approach from EON (OR COYAP), we would.