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2 Answers

Descending on an approach

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2 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Nov 08, 2015

    Your reference to “when being vectored to final on an approach, once we are within 10 miles of the FAF, established on course, and cleared for the approach, we are legal to descend to the listed altitude” is not correct, at least the part about “within 10 NM of the FAF”. Many pilots have received pilot deviations from the FAA for following the GS outside of the segment for which it applies and not adhering to the charted minimum altitudes. Remember the listed altitude is the one that applies to the segment on which you are currently flying.

    If you are being vectored to final and cleared for the approach, you must maintain the last assigned altitude until you are on a charted segment of the approach. You may descend to the charted altitude once established on a segment of the approach . In the case you reference, the charted altitude for the segment that is 7 NM from the FAF is 4000 MS until passing CADON. The GS intercept altitude is 2400 MSL and the GS only may be used for vertical guidance starting in the segment that ends at CITGO and has the GS intercept lightning bolt depicted. Outside of that segment, the GS is advisory and you must not descend below the charted segment altitude. So if you intercept the localizer outside of BANER intersection, you must not descend below 5000 MSL and between BANER and CADON you must not descend below 4000 MSL. After GS interception at CITGO, the GS is used for vertical guidance from there to the DA and the step down fix at OLOXE is ignored as it only applies to the LOC Only procedure.

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  2. Russ Roslewski on Nov 09, 2015

    I want to expand on the “10 miles” issue. I’d be very interested in where or why you were taught this, and if maybe you misunderstood.

    Yes, many “minimum altitudes” at places like Midway in your example are “ATC” altitudes, meaning not for any obstacle reason but for traffic flow. However, you don’t know what the reason is, and it doesn’t matter – you have to comply unless ATC assigns you a lower altitude (which is then determined to be safe according to their Minimum Vectoring Altitude chart in the facility).

    Take a look at the KBTV ILS OR LOC/DME RWY 33: https://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1511/pdf/00070ILD33.PDF

    If you descend to the FAF altitude (3800) 10 miles away from the FAF, you may very well actually impact terrain. Notice there is a 4088 ft peak very close to the centerline.

    This situation is similar to a famous airline accident, TWA Flight 514, that ended up in a lot of the terminology and rules being rewritten.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TWA_Flight_514

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