Asiana flight crash at San Francisco

[nigegilb]

Since June it has been something of a lottery as to whether or not PAPIs are available to 28L/28R. Be very interested if anyone has a copy of the SFO Notam for July 6 prior to the accident. I can't recall seeing them operative since the current airfield works have been underway. Looking at the flight aware data this was a steep approach that coincided with a 3 deg flight path @ around 500 feet, only to go below the glide path at this point. I am struggling to comprehend how the crew would ignore four reds at this point, so, until the crew confirm the PAPIs were functioning, doubts remain. Perhaps someone better versed than myself can explain the acceptability of the situation at SFO given that FAA are signed up to these agreements?

This is the requirement as explained by FAA and attached to its recent capital improvement program RE PAPI installation;

Core Initiative: Visual

Navaids(N04.01-00) (CIP#:N04.01-00)

This program supports the procurement, installation, and commissioning of Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) systems and Runway End Identification Light (REIL) systems. A PAPI provides visual approach glide slope information to pilots and enables them to make a stabilized descent with a safe margin of approach clearance over obstructions.

These are the ICAO internationally agreed requirements;

ICAO Annex 14 Vol 1 Aerodrome Design and Operations





5.3.5 Visual approach slope indicator systems

Application

5.3.5.1 A visual approach slope indicator system shall be provided to serve the approach to a runway whether or not the runway is served by other visual approach aids or by non-visual aids, where one or more of the following conditions exist:

a) the runway is used by turbojet or other aeroplanes with similar approach guidance requirements;

b) the pilot of any type of aeroplane may have difficulty in judging the approach due to:

1) inadequate visual guidance such as is experienced during an approach over water or featureless terrain by day or in the absence of sufficient extraneous lights in the approach area by night, or

2) misleading information such as is produced by deceptive surrounding terrain or runway slopes;

c) the presence of objects in the approach area may involve serious hazard if an aeroplane descends below the normal approach path, particularly if there are no non-visual or other visual aids to give warning of such objects;

d) physical conditions at either end of the runway present a serious hazard in the event of an aeroplane undershooting or overrunning the runway; and

e) terrain or prevalent meteorological conditions are such that the aeroplane may be subjected to unusual turbulence during approach.

Note.C Guidance on the priority of installation of visual approach slope indicator systems is contained in Attachment A, Section 12.

5.3.5.2 The standard visual approach slope indicator systems shall consist of the following:
a) T-VASIS and AT-VASIS conforming to the specifications contained in 5.3.5.6 to 5.3.5.22 inclusive;

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b) PAPI and APAPI systems conforming to the specifications contained in 5.3.5.23 to 5.3.5.40 inclusive; as shown in Figure 5-12.

5.3.5.3 P API, T-V ASIS or A T-V ASIS shall be provided where the code number is 3 or 4 when one or more of the conditions specified in 5.3.5.1 exist.

5.3.5.4 PAPI or APAPI shall be provided where the code number is 1 or 2 when one or more of the conditions specified in 5.3.5.1 exist.

5.3.5.5 Where a runway threshold is temporarily displaced from the normal position and one or more of the conditions specified in 5.3.5.1 exist, a P API shall be provided except that where the code number is 1 or 2 an AP API may be provided.