PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - 737-800 max Vref additives reduced to 15 knots?
Old 23rd May 2018, 12:31
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Judd
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
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inexperienced pilots often make the additive, then also proceed to fly the approach well above the (already increased) bug speed;
Some operators mandate a call-out by the PM if the airspeed is more than ten or minus 5 knots from the selected approach speed. Thus, if wind additives are included to the VREF you can feasibly get the situation where the additives are already up to the maximum of 20 knots (Boeing).
If, for whatever reason, the airspeed increases (say) by another three knots, the PM (depending on the operators call policy) would call "Bug plus three; meaning the aircraft is now three knots above the selected approach speed (sometimes called Bug speed). Three knots doesn't sound much but it sure should raise alarm bells in a pilot's mind since the real speed is now VREF+23 knots. In all cases like this, I would have thought it would be more appropriate for PM calls to be reference VREF and not selected approach speeds. A call of VREF +23 becomes a bit scary whereas Bug+3 would hardly raise an eyebrow unless you are aware of its significance.
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