How to Fly a Non Precision Approach | Continuous Descent FInal Approach | LNAV + V

Summary

This video explains the intricacies of non-precision approaches in aviation, focusing on localizer and VOR approaches. It covers the challenges of navigating without vertical guidance, emphasizing techniques like 'dive and drive' and continuous descent final approach (CDFA). The video illustrates how pilots use step-down fixes and descent angles to maintain stability and safety while approaching airports. It also explores tools like Jeppesen charts and advisory glide slopes for GPS approaches, underscoring the importance of staying stabilized to avoid common errors. The key takeaway is mastering these techniques to ensure smooth, efficient landings in instrument conditions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Precision approaches like an ILS offer vertical guidance, reducing ambiguity in descent and missed approach decisions.
• 😀 Non-precision approaches, such as localizer or VOR approaches, require more strategic planning due to the lack of vertical guidance.
• 😀 Localizer approaches, like the one to runway 32 in Ocean City, Maryland, have step-down fixes that ensure altitude minima at certain points along the approach.
• 😀 In a dive-and-drive approach, pilots descend to step-down altitudes, level off, and then continue to the next altitude or minimum descent altitude (MDA).
• 😀 Stability and coordination of aircraft power, pitch, and trim are essential to avoid distractions, especially in instrument conditions.
• 😀 Common accidents on non-precision approaches occur when pilots miss level-offs at the MDA, leading to terrain impact or destabilized approaches.
• 😀 The goal of instrument approaches is to fly a stable approach, and continuous descent final approach (CDFA) techniques help maintain stability without vertical guidance.
• 😀 Continuous Descent Final Approach (CDFA) is a technique to approximate glide path by maintaining a specific descent rate, such as 400 feet per minute for a 3.04-degree angle.
• 😀 Jeppesen charts simplify the process for pilots by including descent rates based on ground speed, making CDFA easier to execute.
• 😀 Advisory glide slopes available with GPS units like LNAV+V can help pilots maintain a safe descent angle, but these are advisory and not part of the official approach.
• 😀 Maintaining stability and following published altitudes and descent paths is critical when performing non-precision approaches, especially in mountainous regions.

Q & A

What makes precision approaches like ILS beneficial for pilots?

Precision approaches like ILS are beneficial because they provide clear vertical guidance, reducing ambiguity and making it easier to manage descent and missed approach decisions.

Why are non-precision approaches like a localizer approach more challenging?

Non-precision approaches like a localizer approach are more challenging because they lack vertical guidance, requiring pilots to use strategic thinking and manual control to ensure safe altitude management.

What are step-down fixes and why are they important in non-precision approaches?

Step-down fixes are points along the approach that provide minimum altitudes at which the aircraft must remain until reaching the next fix. They are crucial for ensuring that the aircraft does not descend too early or too low, thus avoiding terrain hazards.

What does 'dive and drive' mean in the context of non-precision approaches?

'Dive and drive' refers to the technique of descending quickly to each step-down altitude and then flying level to the next fix, a method commonly used in non-precision approaches to manage altitude changes safely.

What role does aircraft coordination play during a non-precision approach?

During a non-precision approach, any changes in power, such as increasing or reducing engine power, require coordination with rudder and elevator inputs to maintain control of the aircraft and avoid unnecessary distractions.

Why is it important to stay stabilized during an instrument approach?

It is important to stay stabilized during an instrument approach to prevent confusion and distractions. A stabilized approach ensures that the aircraft maintains a steady descent path and allows for a safe and controlled landing.

How does the FAA recommend handling a non-precision approach?

The FAA recommends that aircraft fly a stabilized approach from the final approach fix (FAF) to the runway threshold, maintaining consistent power and configuration, even in the absence of vertical guidance like a glideslope.

What is a continuous descent final approach (CDFA), and how does it work?

A continuous descent final approach (CDFA) is a technique used in non-precision approaches where the pilot descends at a steady rate (e.g., 400 feet per minute) from the FAF to the runway, maintaining a consistent descent angle without leveling off at each step-down fix.

What are the benefits of using Jeppesen plates for continuous descent approaches?

Jeppesen plates provide the benefit of clearly showing descent rates required for a specific approach, which helps pilots maintain a steady descent angle and ensures they stay above step-down altitudes and minimum descent altitudes during a continuous descent approach.

What is the advisory glide slope in GPS approaches, and how does it differ from a traditional vertical guidance system?

The advisory glide slope in GPS approaches is a non-legal, advisory tool that helps pilots maintain a steady descent path. Unlike a traditional vertical guidance system, such as an ILS, the advisory glide slope is not part of the official approach and should be used with caution.