PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - B737 Classic NPA - MCP altitude setting policies
Old 23rd Apr 2009, 14:34
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Denti
 
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Historically we allways had the SOP once in ALT HLD at the top of descen of the procedure to dial in a different altitude and then use VS to descent on a constant "glidepath" until MDA while checking all altitudes on the way down and certainly obeying all "hard" altitudes. Once 500' below missed approach altitude that was set.

Nowadays even on the classic we use VNAV or VNAV guidance to fly NPAs. Once in ALT HLD at the top of descent of the procedure we set MDA and descent on VNAV path. 500' above MDA we set the missed approach altitude and at 50' prior MDA either initiate the GA or decide to land.

Altitudes are checked on the way down and hard altitudes are observed, of course they are build into the FMC-Waypoints used to fly the LNAV/VNAV Procedure. On LIDO charts those are depicted in a very easy to see manner and therefore easy to crosscheck.
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