Hand-Flown Approaches

[seacue]

I'm too bashful to ask this in a current Tech Log thread.

Do approaches to Rwy 19 at KDCA have to be hand-flown, at least from as far out as Chain Bridge/CIA?

[Busdrvr]

No the visual approach does not need to be hand flown. But is does require a lot of changes on the FCU (auotpilot). In some cases it is easier to hand fly it, and let the non-flying pilot work the FCU for the flight director presentation.

[seacue]

Thanks, Busdrvr, for the comment. That seemed like a possibility. I had wondered if the turns could be preset in advance as a practical matter.

I'd guess that the last turn (over the 14th Bridge) is done manually. One certainly sees a wide range of bank angles, etc.

DCA approach (http://users.erols.com/rcarpen/dca9.jpg)

sc

[Busdrvr]

You should see some approaches when they set you up for the visual to rwy 01, then switch you to rwy 33 at the last moment.

[seacue]

I see the 01 to 33 switch frequently. Fortunately most are not done at the last minute. One UA 73 I saw a few years ago was all over the sky on a 33 final. Not stabilized until the very last moment. Not a pretty picture. The USAir people seem more comfortable w/ use of 33.

Years ago, I saw a Lockheed JetStar which was switched from 19 to 22 because he kept catching up to the traffic ahead. He wasn't used to maneuvering at such a low altitude and was far too high on final. He aborted the landing and didn't return as far as I could tell. What does a biz-jet driver tell the boss when he decides he's not up to landing at DCA? Or maybe the boss told him to not try again.

sc

[seacue]

Somehow I think this last turn to line up with Rwy 19 is being hand-flown.

Final turn (http://users.erols.com/rcarpen/dca040220b.jpg)

sc