QGH and VDF Approaches
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QGH and VDF Approaches
Do the RAF still use QGH, as I can't find any mention of it in the Military AIP? Likewise,VDF approaches seem to have died out too. Perhaps someone can enlighten me!
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Last time I did a QGH let down was at RAF Newton in Feb 1992. Newton closed about twenty years ago. I think the rest of the RAF have proper navigation aids these days.
Apart from Barkston Heath, Colerne, Cosford, Chetwynd etc.
One or two of these airfields have a D/F but there's no TAP chart in the AIP Mil for them.
Most civil airfields with ATC seem to have 'binned' their VDFs; pity they didn't offer them to FISO airfields because they could still be used for 'information and advice' (but not as an approach aid).
One or two of these airfields have a D/F but there's no TAP chart in the AIP Mil for them.
Most civil airfields with ATC seem to have 'binned' their VDFs; pity they didn't offer them to FISO airfields because they could still be used for 'information and advice' (but not as an approach aid).
Last edited by chevvron; 6th Feb 2021 at 14:51.
Thread Starter
Thanks chaps. I agree about modern navaids but wondered if QGH still existed as a fallback plan if all else failed! As Chevvron says, there are no TAPs in the AIP.
When I did my PAR course at Shawbury in 1984 with 2 other civil controllers, the 'CDTC' or QGH was still being taught to RAF controllers, CDTC being 'Controlled Descent Through Cloud'.
We had the pleasure of being in the sim to watch an instructor being checked out on a 'speechless, no compass no gyro' CDTC.
(Actually we took it in turns to operate the machine which generated the signal he got on his D/F)
Last civil airfield to offer a QGH rather than VDF (as far as I'm aware) was Goodwood in the late '70s until they became a FISO unit rather than ATC.
We had the pleasure of being in the sim to watch an instructor being checked out on a 'speechless, no compass no gyro' CDTC.
(Actually we took it in turns to operate the machine which generated the signal he got on his D/F)
Last civil airfield to offer a QGH rather than VDF (as far as I'm aware) was Goodwood in the late '70s until they became a FISO unit rather than ATC.
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When I did my PAR course at Shawbury in 1984 with 2 other civil controllers, the 'CDTC' or QGH was still being taught to RAF controllers, CDTC being 'Controlled Descent Through Cloud'.
We had the pleasure of being in the sim to watch an instructor being checked out on a 'speechless, no compass no gyro' CDTC.
(Actually we took it in turns to operate the machine which generated the signal he got on his D/F)
Last civil airfield to offer a QGH rather than VDF (as far as I'm aware) was Goodwood in the late '70s until they became a FISO unit rather than ATC.
We had the pleasure of being in the sim to watch an instructor being checked out on a 'speechless, no compass no gyro' CDTC.
(Actually we took it in turns to operate the machine which generated the signal he got on his D/F)
Last civil airfield to offer a QGH rather than VDF (as far as I'm aware) was Goodwood in the late '70s until they became a FISO unit rather than ATC.
Most RAF towers still have DF facilities, but don't conduct QGHs. It's mainly used as an aid to identifying aircraft and providing a quick heading to the facility in case of emergency.
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QGH/VDF
When I did my PAR course at Shawbury in 1984 with 2 other civil controllers, the 'CDTC' or QGH was still being taught to RAF controllers, CDTC being 'Controlled Descent Through Cloud'.
We had the pleasure of being in the sim to watch an instructor being checked out on a 'speechless, no compass no gyro' CDTC.
(Actually we took it in turns to operate the machine which generated the signal he got on his D/F)
Last civil airfield to offer a QGH rather than VDF (as far as I'm aware) was Goodwood in the late '70s until they became a FISO unit rather than ATC.
We had the pleasure of being in the sim to watch an instructor being checked out on a 'speechless, no compass no gyro' CDTC.
(Actually we took it in turns to operate the machine which generated the signal he got on his D/F)
Last civil airfield to offer a QGH rather than VDF (as far as I'm aware) was Goodwood in the late '70s until they became a FISO unit rather than ATC.