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Are You Established?

Debates are a mainstay of hangar-flying discussions. Those debates can become particularly compelling and energized when the weather is below minimums or the wind is sending small structures and the occasional passerby tumbling across the ramp. Youll often hear conflicting statements from different pilots, many even beginning, Well, the examiner on my last checkride said…

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The definition of being "established" on a final approach course extends beyond simply having the navigation needle active ("course alive"), primarily requiring the aircraft to be "stable or fixed" on the route.
  • It mandates "positive course guidance," which means a continuous display of navigational data, combined with specific tolerances derived from international standards.
  • An aircraft is considered established when stable and fixed, showing no more than half full-scale deflection for ILS/VOR, or five degrees off the required bearing for NDB, while aiming for the centerline of an ATS route.
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Debates are a mainstay of hangar-flying discussions. Those debates can become particularly compelling and energized when the weather is below minimums or the wind is sending small structures and the occasional passerby tumbling across the ramp. You’ll often hear conflicting statements from different pilots, many even beginning, “Well, the examiner on my last checkride said…”

One common debate is what constitutes being “established” on a final approach course. This is important because being established often allows you to do something important, like, well, descend for a landing.

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