Let Yourself Down

As an instrument instructor I’ve learned one of the most common topics of confusion among pilots is, “When is it safe—and expected—to descend in the process of an instrument arrival?” Confusion isn’t limited to non-professionals. One of the most frequent topics for quizzes and reviews in professional pilot journals involves determining the correct altitude to fly at various points on a charted terminal procedure.

Tom Turner

Friday, November 16, 2012 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are ultimately responsible for terrain and obstacle clearance and must always cross-check ATC descent clearances against charted minimum safe altitudes (e.g., MEA, MOCA, OROCA, MSA) before descending.
Strictly adhere to the specific charted altitudes for each segment of an instrument procedure, including STARs, vectors, procedure turns, and step-down fixes, to ensure safe progression through the arrival and approach.
Avoid premature descents; for example, be within 10 nm of the Final Approach Fix (FAF) for straight-in approaches, use the Visual Descent Point (VDP) for non-precision approaches, and maintain circling minimums until properly aligned for landing.