![]() ![]() If you're not used to flying steep, high descent-rate approaches in clear weather, attempting one when you're shooting an approach in poor visibility isn't a great idea. No matter what you fly, you don't want to put yourself in a situation where you need a rapid descent to make the runway. Because of this, many pilots plan to go missed if the runway environment isn't in sight by the VDP. The faster you fly, the faster the descent rate you'll need to make the same descent angle work. In something like a light, single-engine piston, you'll have a lot more leeway than a jet. Whether you can safely make a steeper than normal descent comes down to what kind of airplane you're flying, your configuration, and the speed you fly the final approach segment at. However, if you see the runway environment past VDP, you may still be able to make a safe descent to landing. The closer you get to the missed approach point at MDA, the higher the descent angle you need to get to the runway. If you flew past VDP because the required items for descent weren't met, but you're not to the missed approach point yet, you're faced with a decision: Should you plan to go missed? Should you continue to the MAP? If you were going to rely on an RA to determine your minimums for the approach, you'd find the RA plummeting as you pass over the cliff at the end of Runway 23.Boldmethod You Just Flew Past VDP. The problem is, the Yeager Airport is built essentially on a chopped-off hilltop sitting 300' above the valleys below. On the approach chart, it shows this is 250' above the runway's threshold. It's a CAT I ILS with minimums of 1,181' MSL. Let's say you're flying the ILS to Runway 23 at the Charleston, WV airport (KCRW). If you're flying a CAT II/III approach, you're flying to DH minimums using a radar altimeter. If you're flying a Cat I approach, which most of us are, you're flying to DA minimums. Whether it's a checkride, working with a student, or briefing an approach to another crew member, remember to use the correct phraseology. Minimums are always less than 200' above the threshold, in part, to ensure varying terrain/obstacle elevation below your aircraft doesn't interfere with your RA reading.īy the time you're less than 200' above the runway, you'll be flying over a flat surface just before the runway threshold, which is one requirement for an airport to certify a CAT II/III approach. ![]() That's why they're published as a CAT II/III approach, and not a standard CAT I approach.Īs you fly a CAT II/III approach, you'll reference your aircraft's RA reading to determine when you've reached DH. Most Cat I ILS approaches get you down to 200 feet above TDZE, but that's not always the case.ĬAT II/III approaches are flown to DH minimums less than 200' above the runway's TDZE. That means you'll be 200' above the touchdown zone elevation (TDZE) when you reach DA. You'll see in smaller numbers "200" published next to the minimums for the approach. As you're descending on the glideslope, when you reach 6,085', you're at DA. Looking at the ILS approach in the image below, the published minimums for the straight-in ILS 35R are "6085 - 1/2". When you fly a Category I ILS, which is what almost all general aviation pilots will fly, you fly to a DA. A hard landing has the potential to result in Loss of Control and/or aircraft damage, and will necessitate a manufacturer. ![]() Standard Cat I ILS)ĭecision Altitude (DA) is an MSL altitude. A Hard Landing, in some regions referred to as a heavy landing, is a landing in which the manufacturer's touchdown limitation, expressed either as a rate of descent or as a 'g' loading value, has been exceeded. For simplicity, we'll explain the concept using ILS approaches. The type of approach flown determines whether you'll use a DA or DH for your minimums. And if your airplane is certified for extremely low weather conditions, you might even fly a CAT II/III approach. In the lowest of weather conditions, you'll likely find yourself flying a CAT I ILS or RNAV LPV approach. ![]()
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