Do airlines still fly NDB approaches?
 

Have been wondering this question for a while, in the world of RNAV, ILS, RNP etc would an airline like QANTAS or even Jetstar or Tiger still fly an NDB approach on occasion?

Mine has removed NDB's as an approved approach. All of the new a/c in the last 5 years haven't been fitted with ADF's anyway.

Not right Nitpicker........all Qlinks Q400's have NDB's in fact the last two sims included NDB approaches. So, yes NDB's still flown - for how much longer-? Who knows

What's a NDB approach?

The G1000 caravan we run has a fantastic setup inside, however doesn't come standard or has an ADF inside it. A sign of the times?

Yeh, every time I do renewal.......... Very relevant.....Not!

What's an NDB? :oh:

Remains of the day for civvy GPS...
 

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Looking that it wont be long before them old NDB's are needed agin.


Some weeks back terrorists sent a cheap little GPS guided drone (UAV/UAS) into Israel via the sea. The worlds most heavily defended airspace didn't see the drone until it were over land. Took two F16's and two expensive missiles plus a bit of scrambling of the GPS signal to destroy the terrorist drone...

All that trouble just because of one little Hezbollah drone. More to come.....:uhoh:





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Perhaps you could explain to the masses what you do at AYE when the weather's a bit ****e??!! :E ;)

Some airfields may have an ILS on the most used runway and a non precision approach onto the reciprocal for occasions when the tailwind component is in excess of limits.

An NDB approach being available together with an ADF in the aircraft may be useful to satisfy legal requirements when flight planning, but is unlikely to be used in anger. Most A320/B737 airports can at least provide a VOR approach.

I think I flew an NDB in the SIM a few years back but have never flown an actual one since coming off turboprops.

These days with C145/146 GPS receivers, you don't even need an NDB to satisfy alternate requirements (in most cases).

morno

Missing Link:--- what's not right with what I posted? In fact with regards to my Airline I am 100% correct. NDB's are no longer approved AND all new Airbus and Boeing's in the last 5 years ARE NOT FITTED WITH ADF's

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough, I was referring to all new a/c in my fleet.

We are approved to, and frequently do fly GPS/GPS FMS based fully coupled NDB approaches.

nitpicker,
How on earth are you meant to listen to the cricket then? :{

Say what?? Please explain?

Not sure I understand why a GPWS failure would preclude a published RNAV approach but still allow an overlay NDB?

Bloggs, Bloggs, Bloggs. Tongue. Cheek.

But seeing as you ask, RNAV-Z RWY13 or 31. :p

Well I gotta say thats a new one on me.

How do you fly an NDB approach without an ADF? To me, an "overlay" approach is where two different promulgated approaches share the same horizontal profile. If one aid or receiver fails, you might continue on the other if they are depicted on the same approach plate. Different minima may apply. NDB or VOR RWY36 at YBSU is one example.

Just because my jet can draw an inbound line and follow it without raw data available, I'm not aware of any reference that permits it. (Emergencies not withstanding)

I would have thought most regulators would require the underlying navaid (i.e the NDB) to be "actively monitored" during the approach in these circumstances ....

How uncivilised:{

The R16 ILS into YMML was down for maintenance a couple of times last week and due to the crappy weather quite a few ndb approaches were done.