Visual Approach hypothetical
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Visual Approach hypothetical
G'day all,
Have a question that might sound a bit basic and might be a little confusing but here goes.
This is a hypothetical question for Australian airspace.
An IFR Flight coming into a controlled aerodrome is, for traffic reasons, left high approaching the field on a particular track. At around 4000ft and at about 7 miles the aircraft is cleared a Visual Approach and the pilot continues tracking as authorised until within 5 miles to comply with AIP.
Now due to being left high and the particular aircraft type, the pilot joins and extends downwind in order to intercept a base turn point that will allow a 3 degree glide path. If in doing this the aircraft goes outside the 5 mile tracking requirement, what is the pilot supposed to do? Is he supposed to request another vector, make a uturn to track towards the airfield? etc etc
Assume all other requirements for a visual approach have been met.
I havn't been able to get a straight answer on this so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Have a question that might sound a bit basic and might be a little confusing but here goes.
This is a hypothetical question for Australian airspace.
An IFR Flight coming into a controlled aerodrome is, for traffic reasons, left high approaching the field on a particular track. At around 4000ft and at about 7 miles the aircraft is cleared a Visual Approach and the pilot continues tracking as authorised until within 5 miles to comply with AIP.
Now due to being left high and the particular aircraft type, the pilot joins and extends downwind in order to intercept a base turn point that will allow a 3 degree glide path. If in doing this the aircraft goes outside the 5 mile tracking requirement, what is the pilot supposed to do? Is he supposed to request another vector, make a uturn to track towards the airfield? etc etc
Assume all other requirements for a visual approach have been met.
I havn't been able to get a straight answer on this so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
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On a visual approach you are required to stay in controlled airspace. The pilot can fly where he wants to provided the above criteria is met and there are no additional restrictions put on the visual approach by ATC, ie cleared visual approach, turn final within 5nm
So as long as your track keeps you in controlled a/space it should not be a problem.
So as long as your track keeps you in controlled a/space it should not be a problem.
By day,
track/heading as directed by ATC, til within 5NM, then join circuit as instructed.
If you know you won't have enough track miles to get down, tell the controller and they will adjust as required (vector, orbit, more legs of the circuit)
track/heading as directed by ATC, til within 5NM, then join circuit as instructed.
If you know you won't have enough track miles to get down, tell the controller and they will adjust as required (vector, orbit, more legs of the circuit)
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My 1st 'incident' as an App controller was where a pilot turned (right) for downwind after being told to track for final don't turn right. His understanding was because he was within 5nm he could maneuver as req'd; he never said anything about being high, he was only slightly above 3 degrees at 5 track miles... (about 3.5 miles from the threshold as he was on base) Scared the crap out of me and the Dash 8 who I was tucking in behind was none too impressed about overflying the field for a 'visual' circuit...
Anyway the rules as I recall are: in daylight, once inside 5nm you can maneuver (in CTA) as desired if you aren't given specific instructions (inside 5nm). But I would caution extension of track miles etc without consulting ATC, as normally you would expect the aircraft to 'generally, continue towards the runway'. Obviously if you consider yourself too high, it's a simple call to say we need more miles. You shouldn't exceed 5NM from the aerodrome if maneuvering for a VSA (Visual Approach) without advising ATC your intensions.
Anyway the rules as I recall are: in daylight, once inside 5nm you can maneuver (in CTA) as desired if you aren't given specific instructions (inside 5nm). But I would caution extension of track miles etc without consulting ATC, as normally you would expect the aircraft to 'generally, continue towards the runway'. Obviously if you consider yourself too high, it's a simple call to say we need more miles. You shouldn't exceed 5NM from the aerodrome if maneuvering for a VSA (Visual Approach) without advising ATC your intensions.
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Thanks guys
Good to know as visual approaches aren't done often on the aircraft type in question and as such a good understanding of the rules is required before deciding to do one. This will go into bank of knowledge for the operators.
Cheers
Good to know as visual approaches aren't done often on the aircraft type in question and as such a good understanding of the rules is required before deciding to do one. This will go into bank of knowledge for the operators.
Cheers
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
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Originally Posted by spaceman
base turn point that will allow a 3 degree glide path. If in doing this the aircraft goes outside the 5 mile tracking requirement,
What to do - phone up his C Pilot and suggest some re-training for visual circuits? There is no 'visual pattern' that I am aware of that goes out that far.
