ATC asked us to intercept a 10 mile Final.
 

The IAF was at 14.5 miles, and there was no specific point at 10 miles.
I asked the Captain if he could insert a PBD for me and the Captain told me to just select some heading/track and use judgement.

Is there an accurate way, other than inserting a PBD, to intercept at 10 miles?

Thanks guys.


Edit. A320 btw.

You could do a point-to-point plot on an E6B...

TLAR.......

Depends... On how the approach is build...

Your captain is right though, use judgement, half a mile here or there really doesn't matter in this case. Concentrate on your energy management.

Most of us KOS's would aim a bit to the side of the IAF and then SHIG if we couldn't TLAR it.:)

Assuming you don't have an FMS or don't want to use it for a PBD, think of the ILS as a VOR radial. You are currently at a distance x on radial a, you want to be at distance 10nm on radial b (final approach course).

Stick the Nav Display on VOR Rose mode. The larger distance (assume it's your present position) is the outer ring. For example, you are at 20 miles.

You want to go to 10nm point, so that will be halfway inside the ring. 5nm would be 75% of the way to the centre of the Rose ring, and so on. Situated on on your Final Approach Course.

Using your finger or something semi-straight (:ooh:) draw a line between your position at the outside edge of the Rose and the position of your 10nm point on the ILS.

Shift that straight edge to the centre of the Rose and read off your approximate track.

Turn on to that heading and adjust a little bit for the 20 secs of calculation time and wind.

If you really want to be deadly accurate then you can do a recalculation just before halfway (when the ILS DME reads 15nm in this case). If the new value is different, double the track error and adjust.


Edit to say: I agree with the other posters - stick it on an approximate heading and focus on the overall situational awareness and energy management instead of trying to get too accurate in this particular case. I'm also A320 btw.

Use the ND!!

Set a HDG that will make the green line cut the extended runway centerline at approximately 10 miles from the runway.

easy. avoid PBDing at low altitude or in terminal airspace if you can.

It is like being directed direct to the VOR but everybody knows they will give you vectors well before reaching it. Instead of DIR TO, keep the FPLN depicted as it was, for the vectors, and use HDG and your ND to track to the VOR. If you use the FMGS, vertical navigation will be meaningless. With HDG, using just the FCU and your ND the donut will give sensible information.

Tactical use of HDG is a good tool, specially when you have an ND with a map

Pilots use TLAR. Computer jocks need PBDs. And besides - I thought it was
L'Airboos procedure that no UNNECESSARY typing into the box be done when
in the TML area and/or B100 during climb or descent.

I employ the SIAS method after I've decided TLAR. As I get closer if I have to
tidy up by a handful of degrees here and there I do.

- Scuse me ignorance BOAC but isn't "SHIG" slang for a rubbish night of sex
with a slag? http://serve.mysmiley.net/tongue/tongue0026.gif

Surely there's an ipad app for this??

Just follow the line, and sing the company song at the appropriate time.

Not familiar with the Airbus FMC but I assume, like Boeing, you can either:

1) Create a waypoint ie runway -10nm

OR

2) Enter the Airfield, or a beacon on the airfield, with a 10nm range circle around it?

Put a 10nm ring on the Rwy Threshold descend to 3000 agl and fly to it.

Or keep your head up and fingers out of the box like the old fart that knew what he was doing suggested?

The controller was just being lazy - he/she couln't be bothered to give you a radar vector. Providing there were no terrain issues. I would be inclined to accord him/her the same courtesy and use a loose TLAR heading based on a suitable intercept.

Pardon I but WTF is a TLAR?

SHIG - See how it goes? Added onto TLAR as a progress check.

TLAR = That Looks About Right

Now it all makes sense! Thanks BPF.

BOAC, KOS - King Of Swing?

Oh ok...that's up there with SIAS - gets back to that rubbish sex with a slag thing again.

How did people fly airplane before the FMS was invented?

Hey Slash, this time around, can you try to stay on the mods good side, we miss you when you get banned :)