According to the report:
- The standard procedure for runway 18R prescribes that the aircraft is lined up at least 8 NM of the runway threshold at an altitude of 2000 feet.
- Air traffic control is allowed to offer a line up between 5 and 8 NM of the threshold and instructed the crew in such way that the aircraft lined up at approximately 6 NM at an altitude of 2000 feet.
- Whether the line up is always performed at 2000 feet, regardless of the distance to the threshold being 5 of 8 NM, is still under investigation.
- According to radar data the localizer of the instrument landing system was intercepted at approximately 5,5 NM from the runway threshold.
- The standard procedure is that the glide path is approached from below.
- Because of the shorter line up for the runway at 2000 feet the glide path had to be approached from above.
How much of time does crews have to make sure they will intercept the loc before & below the glide when vectored to intercept at 6 NM? Loc and GS coming alive at the same time, at such speeds/distances and in IMC aren't the best conditions for stabilized approaches. Throwing a plane full of pax flown by a training captain and a trainee PF in a in such approaches with an ATC making tight sequencing is definitely increasing risks.
hetfield, do you seriously think that this crew was the only one to accept approaching under these conditions? there must be a lot of GA in AMS!