PAPI and ILS Cat 2 or 3 operations

[staraviator]

Hai friends,

Its just a doubt arised during discussion with my colleagues today.

As per Annex 14, PAPI (or any Visual approach slope indicator) is mandatory for turbojet aircraft operations.

For ILS cat 3B operation the RVR can be up to 50m.

In most of the case the missed approach points are at 1 DME or more. In such RVR conditions whether PAPI will be visible to the pilot ?

So whats the relevance in making PAPI mandatory for operations ?

Pls give your opinion.

[Simtech]

Don't know, but I do remember having to do a software change in our simulator so that when our German customer was training, the PAPIs were disabled when the RVR was equal to, or less than 350 metres. This was a LBA requirement as part of their approval for the German airline to use a UK CAA-approved sim (pre-JAR).

[JeroenC]

Papi's are not required, nit even on an NPA. There are runways without them and sometimes they are notam'ed US.

[Tower Ranger]

For CAT 3 ops the Papis are selected off as part of the standard setting.

[octavian]

Really? I don't think so.

[Tower Ranger]

The reason they're selected off in Cat 3A and B ops is due to reduced vis it's unlikely pilots will be able to see the full pattern which may lead to confusion. Try selecting CAT 3 on your A/D lighting panel and see what happens, I know what happens on ours.

[cossack]

In Canada PAPIs are switched off when the ceiling is below 500 feet but its a manual selection done when the METAR indicates. Selecting a runway's CAT3 menu will not permit the PAPIs to be illuminated.

I don't recall this being the case in the UK but its been a while.

[good egg]

Ahhhh, sometimes it's nice being a bog-standard CAT I operation :D

[Sir George Cayley]

Precision Approach Path Indicator. The name gives it away. They give guidance down to the ground if there is no ILS Glide Path. Harmonisation reduces as one nears the ground but at this point we're looking to flare aren't we.

When you next pull into your road at night turn off your headlights as you approach your driveway in case of dazzle.

See? Daft idea isn't it. UK invented PAPIs - UK keeps them on all the time.

SGC