Professional Pilot, May 2019
New stabilized approach criteria R ecently while descending on a Falcon 2000LX flight the approach controller asked us to fly 250 kts to the final approach fix The controller we surmised was probably new and was working hard to sequence traffic competing for the same landing strip We politely declined the 250 kts request so he came back with maintain best forward speed As good citizens of the sky we agreed to this request and continued inbound As every pilot knows Air Traffic Control ATC can destabilize any approach with slam dunk descents speed restrictions or late runway changes all given with the best intentions We found ourselves descending on glidepath at 700 ft height above touchdown a notch of flaps shy of fully configured and at VAPP plus 25 kts Would you go around or continue What is the best practice 58 PROFESSIONAL PILOT May 2019 Current FSF stabilized approach criteria and go around guidance According to Flight Safety Foundation FSF s Approach and Landing Accident Reduction ALAR Briefing Note 71 dated 2009 this approach would be classified as unstable requiring the crew to perform an immediate go around The FSF ALAR definition of a stabilized approach is when all of the following criteria are met 1 The aircraft is on the correct flightpath 2 Only small changes in heading pitch are required to maintain the correct flightpath 3 The aircraft indicated speed is not more than VREF 20 and not less than VREF 4 The aircraft is in the correct landing configuration 5 Sink rate is no greater than 1000 ft per minute 6 Power setting is appropriate for the aircraft configuration 7 All briefings and checklists have been conducted 8 ILS approaches must be flown within 1 dot of the glideslope and localizer 9 Unique approach procedures or abnormal conditions requiring deviation from the above elements of a stabilized approach require a special briefing An approach that becomes unstabilized below 1000 ft above runway touchdown elevation in Instrument Meteorological Conditions IMC or below 500 ft Visual Meteorological Conditions VMC requires an immediate go around History of FSF stabilized approach criteria Founded in 1947 the Flight Safety Foundation is an international non profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide impartial independent expert safety guidance and resources for the aviation and aero SAFETY STANDARDS Revisions to Flight Safety Foundations Approach and Landing Accident Reduction tool By Marty Rollinger ATP Challenger 600 604 Falcon 2000 EASy and McDonnell Douglas F A 18 Contributing Writer Dassault Falcon 7X flightcrew conducting an approach to CDG Charles de Gaulle Paris France The aircraft is on glidepath properly lined up at VAPP speed configured power setting stable and checklists completed demonstrating a stabilized approach Photo courtesy Dassault
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