ICAO reference:
PANS-OPS (Doc 8618), Volume 1, Amendment 11, applicable 1 November 2001
Part IX Operational Flight Information, new Chapter 3
Chapter 3
STABILIZED APPROACH PROCEDURE
3.1 GENERAL
3.1.1 Maintenance of the intended flight path as depicted in the published approach procedure, without excessive manoeuvring as defined by the parameters in 3.2.1, shall be the primary safety consideration in the development of the stabilized approach procedure.
3.2 PARAMETERS FOR THE STABILIZED APPROACH
3.2.1 The parameters for the stabilized approach shall be defined by the operator’s standard operating procedures (Part XIII, Chapter 1). These parameters shall be included in the operator’s operations manual and shall provide details regarding at least the following:
a) range of speeds, specific for each aircraft type;
b) minimum power setting(s), specific for each aircraft type;
c) range of attitudes, specific for each aircraft type;
d) crossing altitude deviation tolerances;
e) configuration(s), specific for each aircraft type;
f) maximum sink rate; and
g) completion of checklists and crew briefings.
3.3 ELEMENTS OF THE STABILIZED APPROACH
3.3.1 The elements of a stabilized approach shall be stated in the operator’s standard operating procedures. These elements should include as a minimum:
a) that all flights should be stabilized according to the parameters in 3.2.1, by no lower than 300 metres (1 000 ft) height above threshold in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC); and
b) that all flights shall be stabilized according to the parameters in, 3.2.1, by no lower than 150 metres (500 ft) height above threshold.
3.4 GO-AROUND POLICY
3.4.1 An operator’s policy should be included in the standard operating procedures that in the event of an approach not being stabilized in reference to the parameters in 3.2.1 or the elements in 3.3.1, or becoming destabilized at any point during an approach, a go-around is required. Operators should reinforce this policy through training.
Note.— Preparation of an Operations Manual (Doc 9376), Chapter 8, 8.6.13 includes general considerations about stabilized approaches.
Also see Flight Safety Foundation:
Special FSF Report: Killers in Aviation: FSF Task Force Presents Facts about Approach-and-landing and Controlled-flight-into-terrain Accidents. Flight Safety Digest November 1998–February 1999