PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Descent profile when cleared for an ILS approach?
Old 19th September 2017 | 17:23
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JammedStab
 
Joined: Apr 2008
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From the FAA letter....

"Discussion: What this means to pilots is that on some approaches, outside the Final Approach Segment, on a cool day, you might be able to follow the glide slope and all the published stepdown altitudes may pass below your aircraft. The next day, after a warm front passes, you could follow the same glide slope and (because the temperature is hotter this day) those same stepdown altitudes now protrude into the glide slope and require pilot action to ensure compliance with the published minimum altitudes (stepdown fixes). On both days your flight path on the glide slope was the same, but on the hotter day, the stepdown altitude, crept up into your glide path. High barometric pressure produces the same effect as high temperature.

Regardless of cause, pilots are cautioned to adhere to published step-down fixes located outside the Final Approach Segment on an ILS approach. If a pilot elects to follow the glide slope while outside the Final Approach Segment he should be fully aware that this technique needs to be closely monitored and, if necessary, action must be taken to meet all stepdown altitudes. Examples of airports where multiple altitude deviations have occurred include, but are not limited to; LAX, ORD, ATL, SLC."

While I have heard of this issue, this is the first time I have seen it worded this way. Bottom line is...on both the cold and warm days given in the underlined area above, you had the same terrain clearance as you were on the glideslope(which did not change its angle. But due to altimeter errors based on temperature, there was a technical deviation on the warm day. I understand the seriousness of nit descending below minimum altitudes but...If this temperature effect is the cause of all cases, it sounds more like a nitpicking exercise by the FAA than a safety issue.
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