Zorra’s photo (#744) and Ptkay’s photo (#745) and previous description seem to show that PAR was available at Smolensk. Early statements by Russian and Polish senior military officers appear to confirm that PAR was in use. (# 191 and 302) And it is clear the controller detected the increased rate of descent and glideslope deviation.
Of the approach aids available to the crew , PAR surely offered the best chance of success and was also the least unsafe. My original assumption was that the crew were conducting a PAR which went wrong and they did not correct in a positive and timely way . But the view on this thread, apparently influenced by comments on Russian forums, is that they were flying their own approach without reference to the PAR which was being provided. In other words they made the decision to follow a procedure which most would agree was extremely fraught in the prevailing conditions.
One needs to ask why they chose not to conduct a full PAR, the best available aid especially in respect to vertical guidance. The following possibilities come to mind:
- Although they spoke Russian they were not confident in their ability to fly a Russian language PAR in critical conditions ?
- They were concerned that if they handed over their approach to a controller, they could have been ordered to go around, hence voiding the purpose of the mission ?
Is there a cultural difference here between the west and ex Warsaw Pact countries ? In the west we would request a PAR and then follow the controller’s instructions as we would follow an ILS. It would be our primary approach aid. In eastern Europe, and especially the military, is PAR more usually a monitor of whatever other approach the crew decide to use as their primary? (E.g. a two NDB procedure, GPS/FMS or even visual ).
I ask this question because although my experience of operating in Russia is restricted to the major airports, and ten years ago at that, I recall in low visibility at SVO it was the norm to receive PAR monitoring of the Cat 2 ILS from Sheremetievo Talkdown. This was provided without being requested, and it was not part of our SOPs to require it..