8-1

Rod Machados Instrument Pilots Survival Manual

Chapter 8
The Art of the Approach
Most pilots have spent some time pondering the great mysteries in aviation. Im not
talking about mysteries such as whether D.B. Cooper is still alive and living with Elvis
in Memphis, or whether the two brothers who made it possible for man to fly were real-
ly Ernest and Julio Gallo. These are indeed great mysteries, but they are not of the cal-
iber in question. My interest is the mystery of why many instrument pilots find master-
ing an instrument approach so challenging.
An instrument approach is nothing more (or less) than a written recipe for landing.
Its your invitation to be the Julia Child of the air. All you have to do is be able to read,
understand, and follow the directions and you, too, can whip up a smooth instrument
approach and become the souffl of the runway.
Flying an instrument approach is an art that merges mechanical and mental skills in
a process thats poetic when done well. As with all art forms, it takes practice to do it
well. There is no scientific formula that can accelerate the learning process, either. It
often seems that students get down to the final hours of instrument training before man-
aging to get it and then they suddenly begin flying approaches well enough to pass a
checkride. This elusive it seems to occur when your internal vision of what the airplane
is doing matches with what the airplane actually does. The challenge of learning to fly
approaches is in acquiring this elusive it. How do we get it? Well, like all things, under-
standing the big picture helps.
If you understand the big picture underlying instrument flying then youre on your
way to getting it. So, thats what this chapter is aboutthe big picture. When I point out
some global concepts behind flying approaches, youll soon A Typical Day
be flying them with ease. If youre an experienced At The
instrument pilot, youll find that these concepts Scope
make it easier for you to maneuver your way
through an approach, too. Lets get started.

Beginning the Approach

There are three ways you can enter the
IFR system: File a flight plan with the
Flight Service Station or by computer prior
to departure (well include obtaining a TEC
clearance here) or request a popup IFR
clearance from ATC while airborne, in VFR
conditions. The popup IFR clearance is nor-
mally requested when an instrument approach
wasnt anticipated at the destination. It derives its
name from pilots appearing to pop up unexpectedly
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Rod Machados Instrument Pilots Survival Manual
with a request for an IFR clearance from Center or Approach control. In many
parts of the country, popups are frequently used for IFR training. An instruc-
tor may launch in VFR conditions, then request that his student obtain an IFR
clearance for instrument approach practice. Popup IFR clearances can be very
demanding on an instrument pilot. Once that clearance happens, its like going
over the top on a roller coasterits all downhill from there, and fast. Before con-
tacting ATC for a popup IFR clearance, obtain the ATIS for the destination airport. This
allows you to know what instrument approaches are in use, the current weather, altime-
ter setting and NOTAMs critical for the flight. Even more important, having the ATIS
when you make your initial callup shows the controller
youre capable and prepared. Controllers have the Books
latitude to decide whether or not to accept a are filled with
popup. You want to give them every reason to say examples of pilots A Shocking
who chose to fly Experience
yes. Listening to the ATIS before contacting
approaches that were
ATC is especially critical if the weather is not fully operational.
reported below minimums for the approach in Several years ago, two
use. You should also ensure that you have the pilots in Southern
equipment needed to fly the approach youre California attempted to fly
requesting, and that the equipment an ILS with an inoperative
you intend to use is function- glideslope. It was a pitch
ing properly. black night when they made a beautiful
descent below the glideslope and literally
After youve absorbed landed on high tension power lines several miles
the ATIS and the air- short of the runway.
planes position is While disoriented in an inverted airplane, hang-
established, initiate ing several hundred feet above the ground, the
the call to ATC pilot crawled out onto the wing for a look around.
requesting a clear- With hands acting like antennae, he felt his way
ance. Perhaps the out the door and, to his dismay, felt nothing sup-
porting the aircraft. He immediately crawled buck
best way for you to
inside the airplane and shut the door. It took a huge crane
stabilize yourself and half the night to pluck these fellows from their lofty
the airplane for the perch. It is not known whether they actually counted the
upcoming information approach as one of the six necessary for instrument
exchange is to establish the currency. Author
airplane over some identifiable
ground reference. The controller will definitely want to know where you are, and being
someplace readily identifiable makes this easier and gives the controller another reason
to want to say yes. By now, youre practically irresistible. If you want to go for the plat-
inum, be a showoff and establish yourself in a holding pattern. It doesnt need to be a
very precise holding pattern. You just dont want to drift carelessly into protected air-
space while attempting contact with ATC, since that would definitely spoil the image
were trying to create. A holding pattern (or some unofficial version of it) gives you ade-
quate time to prepare for and review the essentials of the instrument approach without
hurting yourself. You can also establish your position by identifying your location on a
VOR radial with a DME fix, or using two VOR cross radials. With that done, youre ready
to talk-and-tell, confident you wont be wreaking aviation havoc by flying through the
localizer at a major international airport.
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 8-3
Chapter 8 - The Art of the Approach
Working With ATC
The initial call should sound something like this:
2132 Bravo: SoCal Approach, this is Cessna 2132 Bravo, request, over.
ATC: Cessna 2132 Bravo, this is SoCal Approach, go ahead.
2132 Bravo: 2132 Bravo is a Cessna 172/A over ALBAS intersection at 3,000
feet, request the ILS into Long Beach. We have information Hotel, over.
ATC: 2132 Bravo, squawk 1234.
2132 Bravo: 2132 Bravo, squawk 1234.
The initial call establishes contact. One of the quickest ways to drive ATC completely
wild is to start telling your life story before theyre ready. The initial callup is really a
Im here, can you talk to me now? inquiry. Short and sweet. Theyll either get right
back to you with encouragement to keep talking, or theyll tell you to stand by. If you
dont get an immediate response, then listen for a while. Enjoy the peace and quiet and
become one with your propeller. Maybe the controller is on the landline arranging a clear-
ance for someone else. Sometimes controllers work multiple frequencies, and you cant
always hear their other conversations. Controllers are like fine red winestheyre bet-
ter if you let em breathe a bit.
Mentioning the name of the facility on initial contact confirms that you have the cor-
rect frequency. Wait for an appropriate opening in the flow of conversation to make the
call. Sometimes you may have to be a bit assertive and jump right in when an opening
presents itself. I said assertive, not aggressive. Yes, there is a difference. You shouldnt
pick up the mic and chant, ATC, breaker-breaker, this heres triple nickel five bravo, you
boys got your ears on? Theres a good chance all of your future clearances will be to a
point in the mid-Pacific once word spreads you talk like this! There are pilots who actu-
ally exhibit this type of behavior, which may explain why some animals eat their young
at birth.
After establishing contact, give the controller information on your type of airplane,
equipment on board, position, altitude and type of approach requested. Practice giving
this information in a consistent order. Create a mental template for yourself, then prac-
tice filling it in whenever youre alone. Youll be surprised how this will help make your
radio communication better, smoother, and quicker. In a busy IFR environment, the last
thing the controller or other pilots want to hear is Um, uh, Im a . . .um, you know. . .
Inform the controller that you have the ATIS. If you dont have it, they have to give it to
you or tell you to go get it. Keep in mind that the nice controller hasnt said yes yet,
and youre looking for reasons to make yourself a real deal. Make them want you. Fly
prepared.
There is probably no place where first impressions are more important than on the
aviation radio. Youve got about 10 seconds to convince someone you are intelligent, capa-
ble of following directions, and unlikely to be a complete pain in the radar dome. If you
hem and haw and sound like you need adult supervision, you will probably find that a lot
of controllers are just unable when you call.
Sometimes its the little things that count when communicating with ATC. The pace
and tone of your speech can make quite a difference in a controllers willingness to assist.
The fact is, people are nicer to those who are nice to them. If you dont believe this, the
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Rod Machados Instrument Pilots Survival Manual
next time you want an instrument approach, call the controller and say, Hey!
I demand vectors and I want them now! I pay your salary, you know. Youll
get vectors to boldly go where no man has gone before. Controllers cant help
but make value judgments about your skill based on your verbal demeanor.
This is the only way they have of immediately assessing your ability (and perhaps
your stability, as well).
When exchanging information with ATC, speak distinctly and precisely, and learn to
say what you have to say in the fewest words possible. Do not prattle on for long periods
without giving your tongue a rest. Keep in mind that you are on a party line.
Many people are sharing the frequency. Especially in IFR conditions, the
controller may need to speak to someone else in order to maintain the Serious
Cirrus
required separation, give someone a turn to final, or for lots of other Thoughts
reasons. While you are holding down that mic button, nobody else
can speak. Learn to think first, then talk. Too many pilots do it Think about what
could happen if another
backwards, pushing the mic button and then beginning to think pilot set someone else's
about what theyre going to say. And for some of them, thinking assigned transponder
is a really slow process. code in their transponder
A radio tip for women. Your voices are generally higher and the controller misiden-
tified these aircraft? I had
pitched then most mens voices. Very bad things happen to this happen to me. The other
high pitched voices when theyre broadcast on the radio. Its airplane was a Cessna
a very unforgiving medium. Paint peels from cockpit walls. Citation, and ATC was using
Controllers writhe on the ground in pain. Do yourself a favor my call numbers to address
and develop a radio voice. Speak low, sweet chariot. Come him. My student and I were in a
Cessna 150 at the time, and I
down an octave or three. realized something was wrong
when the controller asked me
Vectors for the Approach to maintain at least 160 knots
on final. My student, of
Once ATC identifies your airplane, you might be in a posi- course, said, "Roger" and pro-
tion where youll be given vectors for the approach. The ceeded to lower the nose of
clearance might sound something like this: the little Cessna Had I not
been there, he would probably
ATC: 2132 Bravo, your position is one mile north of ALBAS have landed with the only
intersection, turn left heading 020 degrees for vectors to the delta wing Cessna 150 in
Long Beach Runway 30 ILS approach. Descend and maintain existence. I often won-
1,600 feet. dered what the controller
must have thought when
2132 Bravo: Roger, turning left heading 020 degrees, leaving he saw the Citation
3,000 for 1,600 feet, vectors for the Runway 30 ILS. making its approach
at 70 knots. This is
The controller initially identifies your position on the radar not good! Author
screen and verifies that position with you. The position report ATC
gives you is very important. The controller picks out a target believed to
be you and tells you what he sees. This is your last best chance to avoid big
trouble. Do not take it for granted that what the controller says is correct. Question
authority. Too many pilots dont really listen when the controller tells them where he
thinks they are. Mistakes happen. Radar can be wrong, controllers can be wrong, or you
could have made an error in reporting where you are. Your job is to immediately query
the controller if theres a discrepancy. This is part of the checks and balances of the ini-
tial callup. Its part of your safety margin. Dont give it away.
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 8-5
Chapter 8 - The Art of the Approach
It is illegal to intentionally operate an airplane with the transponder set to
a code assigned to another airplane. Most pilots dont intentionally use anoth-
er pilots transponder code. If this does occur, its by accident. But it can also
cause an accident if someone doesnt catch the problem. The controller could
start vectoring the other aircraft while thinking its actually you. Listen careful-
ly to the position report the controller gives. If you hear, 32 Bravo, radar contact one
five miles southeast of DAVEY intersection, and your airplanes position is north of
DAVEY, immediately correct the controller with: Negative, Approach, 32 Bravo is two
zero miles north of DAVEY. By saying Negative, you are alerting the controller to the
fact that there is a disagreement. Without that notice, the controller might let expectan-
cy take over and not hear the one-word difference that creates the disagreement. Not
paying attention to position is an admission ticket to that big tiedown area in the sky (if
you know what I mean).

Getting Down
As soon as you have been given an assigned heading and altitude, get going. Smoothly
and immediately turn and descend. Things get fast paced when intercepting an approach
course, so its best to head in the proper direction and get down at a reasonable pace.
Remember, your priorities are to AVIATE, NAVIGATE and COMMUNICATE, in that
order.
A maximum rate of about 600 to 800 feet per minute is a reasonable velocity at which
to descend. Speeds in excess of 1,000 feet per minute during the approach should be
avoided under actual IFR conditions. Its too easy for
you to become distracted and descend through criti-
Humulonimbus cal altitudes. Besides, the passengers popping
Scud Running eardrums will give controllers the impression
that you are playing the bongos. If its a long
We (in a light twin) had commenced the
VOR-DME approach, completing the arc descent, clear the engine every 500 to
at 19 DME and turning inbound. At 17 DME, 1,000 feet. This is accomplished by a
7800 feet MSL, we began a descent in solid short but smooth application of suffi-
IMC. At approximately 7700 feet and 16 cient power to ensure that the engine
DME, we were in indefinite precip with down is still running and to prevent it
but no forward visibility. The copilot said he from loading up or running rough
had the ground; as I looked up, he said he had when power is returned to normal.
traffic head on. I looked out through the left
window and saw a small aircraft pass under
Remember to use carburetor heat if
the left engine; the estimated miss was by only called for by your Pilots Operating
100-150 feet. He was near the base of the clouds Handbook (POH).
in light precip. Our forward visibility was less In many small general aviation
than one mile. The small aircraft continued aircraft, like a Cessna 172 or a Piper
southeast, and we completed our approach, Warrior, an optimal descent rate can
reaching good VFR approximately 6500 feet
MSL. It was an interesting way to start the
be accomplished at approximately 1,700
morning! The small aircraft was scud running RPM and 100 knots. During the descent
over the foothills, below radar but on the and level-off, slow the airplane to the
final approach course. approach speed. Some pilots feel more
ASRS Report comfortable with a higher speed until
established on the approach. This is perfectly
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Rod Machados Instrument Pilots Survival Manual
reasonable as long as the pace of the flight doesnt exceed the pace of the
pilots central processing unithis brain. If the airspeed changes more than
10 knots, inform ATC of the change.
Professional instrument pilots always recall and set the power settings
known to maintain approach speeds. In the 172 and Warrior, approximately 2,300
to 2,400 RPM is required to maintain 100 knots in level flight. Of course, this varies
with the condition of the airframe and engine as well as the number of bird strikes accu-
mulated during the aircrafts history. Upon leveling off, there should be no guesswork
involved in finding the proper power settings. You must know them cold. Monitor the
vacuum gauge to ensure the descent power is adequate to keep suction values in the
green range. If the proper suction isnt maintained, the gyro instruments will spin down
and start to precess.

The Setup
While being vectored, if you
havent already done so, set the
navigation equipment for the
approach. This is extremely
important. When you hear the
words vectors for the approach,
you should immediately set the
frequency in the navigation
radio for the approach course.
The frequency for the pri-
mary approach navaid is Figure 1A. The frequency for the approach course is located at the
always found in the top left top left corner of the briefing strip on NACO charts.
hand corner of the approach
plate on NACO (National
Aeronautical Charting Office)
as shown in Figure 1A and in
the middle left of the Jeppesen
chart briefing strip as shown in
Figure 1B. The identification
for this ILS is listed on the
charts plan view, so immedi-
Copyright 1991 Jeppesen-Sanderson Inc. All rights reserved.
ately turn up the volume and
identify the station. Figure 1B. The frequency for the approach course is located in the
middle left of the briefing strip on Jeppesen charts.
ILS localizers are highly
directional. They wouldnt do you much good if they werent. You may not be able to
receive any Morse code identification until you are nearly aligned with the localizer
course. If no signal is received, keep the volume up. A reasonable signal must be heard.
Above all, you must make sure the signal has been identified before tracking on the local-
izer. Never, under any circumstances, should a navigational course be used unless prop-
er identification is made.
When flying GPS approaches, you have no choice but to double check the three or four
letter-number airport designation in your GPS unit. See it, say it and check it would be a
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