balaton
7th Aug 2009, 21:30
By rumors the Embraer 135/145/Legacy is approved for CATIIA approaches using the HUD (if equipped). How is it executed? Since there are no Flare/Decrab/touchdown/etc modes of the autopilot at some point (RA Height)it must be disengaged. CATIII based solely on visual/manual flying??? Without the extreemly expensive EVS or similar equipment? (One must wonder why Gulfstream and GLEX operators pay for thoose fancy infra cameras?) What is your SOP?
I am really curious, could anyone explain?
b
Many types are approved for manually flown CAT IIIa approaches, it is not really anything special. You do need some type of head up display system which is approved for that type of thing and yes if the autopilot isn't able to do autolands you have to fly it manually. CRJs for example do it all the time, you could do it in 737s or BBJs if you want to (if they have a HUD, standard in the BBJ), even the old classics could do it allready. I'm sure some others will supply additional types that do it routinely.
However there is a snag. You need not only the approved board system (either autoflight system with autopilot and autothrust or some type of HUD), you need an approved ground installation too.
The big advantage of EVS systems is that you can do approaches to CAT I runways down to 100ft in the US (dunno if anywhere else), and that is why the owners of those nice shiny planes dish out the dollars for an expensive system like that, it simply allows you to fly into a huge amount of airports in marginal weather.