Readback: May 2012

March 2012 was another great edition. I enjoyed the discussion of the Santa Maria LOC DME (BACK CRS)-A approach (The Right Time to Descend), and I was happy to find that I agreed with your legal interpretation. However, I came to a different end conclusion.

Editorial Staff

Monday, August 04, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots are strongly advised to adhere to published instrument approach procedures, particularly step-down fixes, to ensure terrain and obstacle clearance, even when visual at night, cautioning against premature descents based solely on visual cues.
The article encourages continuous pilot awareness regarding potential hazards like unseen obstacles and suggests seeking ATC assistance when unfamiliar with an airport, while also promoting flight training for older individuals.
Specific practical issues are raised, including Jeppesen FlightDeck's incomplete display of high-altitude navaids on "low" charts and a technique for verifying pitot heat functionality using compass deflection in older aircraft.

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Keeping It Up Longer
March 2012 was another great edition. I enjoyed the discussion of the Santa Maria LOC DME (BACK CRS)-A approach (“The Right Time to Descend”), and I was happy to find that I agreed with your legal interpretation. However, I came to a different end conclusion.

I applaud the pilot’s initial decision to ask for the approach in order to avoid terrain, but then to discard that decision based on seeing the VASI and runway is a setup for a classic black-hole CFIT accident. Just because you can see the runway doesn’t mean you can see the terrain. Your fist indication of terrain may be the VASI and runway starting to disappear—and by then it may be too late.