Why do you want to add flaps prior to the FAF? I’ve done every variation possible.
It’s kinda hard to add flaps when they tell you to maintain ‘150kts until the marker’, eh?
The last CFII I flew with said not to add any flaps until ‘landing was assured’.
The 2nd to the last CFII said to add one notch at the start of vectors to final. Is there a ‘right’ answer?
Jerry
Jerry, I asked that very same question after I got divorced.
I asked it again after I got divorced the 2nd time.
Now that I am old (53) and married, I have come to the conclusion that “no”, there is no right answer, except, “yes dear”
Seriously, while I am no flight instructor, everyone will give you their own perspective and style. None are right, none are wrong. Different situations dictate different techniques. Learn the different techniques, and when to apply them appropriately.
The only other advice I can give you is. . . . stay single or stay married. Like flap extension, the change can be turbulent.
You’re right - there is no single correct answer. I’ve no qualms with ILS or non-precision approaches being flown at whatever speed and/or compatible aircraft configuration the pilot pleases. Done 'em at 160 knots all the way down, and also at 100. I think going slower has its advantages in a slippery airplane like the Cirrus, and I think dumping in approach flaps prior to the FAF makes the “dive and drive” aspect of non-precision approaches a non-event. Without the flaps the airplane picks up speed a bit too easily. However, it truly is just personal preference.
In reply to:
Why do you want to add flaps prior to the FAF? I’ve done every variation possible.
It’s kinda hard to add flaps when they tell you to maintain ‘150kts until the marker’, eh?
The last CFII I flew with said not to add any flaps until ‘landing was assured’.
The 2nd to the last CFII said to add one notch at the start of vectors to final.
Is there a ‘right’ answer?
Jerry
Just to stir the pot a little why dont you all look the ILS approaches for RWY’s 26 and 27 for George Bush Intercontinental Houston (IAH). Notice that it has MANDATORY written by all the step downs. If this is infact how the FAA views this then why isn’t it on all the ILS approaches? I know why they put it here becuase a buddy of mine almost failed his ATR-42 type ride becuase of this. When I took my type ride the next day I got an earful from the same FAA inspector. Many times the step downs are waived by approach and you can join where ever you want however it is interesting why they put them there.
Can anyone guess?
Bill,
The IAH mandatory altitudes in the profile section of the ILSs are to assure traffic separation for simultaneous approaches to Rwys 26 & 27 in IMC. These mandatory altitudes serve an important purpose and deviations from these altitude restrictions jeopardize separation. You will not see mandatory altitudes depicted on an approach once inside the GSI. If there are stepdown fixes published for loc-only use inside the FAF, they should be shown as minimum (underscored) altitudes.
Airlines have to deal with VDP’s and stuff that most GA pilots never think about.
Au contraire, in the CPPP mandatory sessions how to use VDP’s and how to quickly calculate them and their associated descent rates are core curriculum. Cirrus pilots are encouraged to use continuous descents to the VDP from the FAF, and to go missed at that point rather than continuing all the way to the MAP.
I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. Why? First because parallel ILS Approaches have been going on at this field for years before they put in the MANDATORY on the approach plate.
And secondly because the FED that gave me my type ride told me why.
I’ll give you one more guess and then tell you what he told me. I am not saying it’s the gosphel truth. It’s just what he told me and since it makes since I tend to believe it.
Au contraire, in the CPPP mandatory sessions how to use VDP’s and how to quickly calculate them and their associated descent rates are core curriculum. Cirrus pilots are encouraged to use continuous descents to the VDP from the FAF, and to go missed at that point rather than continuing all the way to the MAP.
Glad to hear that VDP’s are being taught to GA pilots. However, I dont think that they are quite as critical as they are to pilots flying the airliners. However, In my 8 years of being an airline pilot I have probably shot maybe 5 non-precision approaches. ILS’s are always the norm.
I would guess that GA pilots shoot many more non-precision approaches.
From your first post:
Take a look at the http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0406/05461IL26R.PDF>ILS, ILS 26L and ILS 27. Strange that the mandatory altitudes are no longer mandatory. Have not looked at these in quite some time, but they are no longer there (unless I’m missing something).
In reply to:
I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. Why? First because parallel ILS Approaches have been going on at this field for years before they put in the MANDATORY on the approach plate.
And secondly because the FED that gave me my type ride told me why.
Many times the FEDs and DEs are wrong, but I’d be interested to hear their explanation nonetheless.
Scott,
I will be the first to admit that the Fed’s as well as DE’s are many times wrong. This paticular FED does have his act together. Even though we did have a disagreement about carrying live animals in the cargo hold. On my flight back I had a couple hundred parrots in the cargo hold. He said they couldn’t be carried. I said they could. After looking at the regs and the company procedures we discovered I was right and won the argument. At least the Fed admitted defeat on that one.
As far as the ILS’s are concerned:
The optimum runway configuration that IAH like to use is for aircraft to land to the west and for aircraft to depart on 15L and 15R. If departing on 15L or R and flying to the north they will ask for a quick turn after departure to the north and to stay within the middle marker of Runways 26 and 27. The mandatory step downs are there so that you will have adequate vertical seperation between planes landing on 26 and 27 and those departing 15L and R and flying to the north.
I dont know why the mandatory was taken off the charts. Since I was furloughed 6 months ago I haven’t updated my Jepps.
