15. Approach (APR)

Aim

Determine the ability of the candidate to fly a successful stabilized precision and non-precision instrument approach in accordance with the published instrument approach procedure.

Description

Note: On an Initial Instrument Rating flight test, a precision approach is mandatory.

Note: The candidate may fly at altitudes higher than the applicable minimum altitudes depicted on the approach chart, but descent during the final segment of the approach should result in reaching the MDA at a distance from the MAP approximately equal to the recommended minimum visibility. The minimum altitudes depicted on the approach chart represent hard approach floor heights above terrain or other obstacles determined during the approach design process. Descent below these altitudes compromises the approach design safety factor.

Note: In accordance with the exemption to CAR 602.128(2)(b), a pilot may descend below the MDA which is likely to occur during a missed approach following a stabilized constant descent angle non precision approach. This exemption is subject to the following conditions:

1. the pilot-in-command will conduct a final approach with a planned stabilized constant descent angle (SCDA) from the final approach fix to a normal landing runway threshold crossing height of 50 feet;
2. the pilot-in-command will initiate a missed approach upon reaching the earliest of either the Decision Altitude (Minimum Descent Altitude), or the missed approach point, or the required visual reference necessary to continue to land has not been established;
3. a SCDA approach will not be conducted on procedures requiring remote altimeter setting correction;
4. the instrument approach procedure flown is to straight-in minima, and the final approach course will not be more than 15 degrees from runway centreline; and
5. the pilot-in-command and the air operator will maintain compliance with the schedule attached to the exemption which pertains to a training program, Standard Operating Procedures and Required Aircraft Equipment.

Performance Criteria ::: Non Precision Approach 2D Non SCDA

(06/2017 FTG p.32)

1. select and comply with the VOR/ LOC/ LOC BC or NDB instrument approach procedure to be performed;
2. establish two-way communications with ATC using the proper communications phraseology and techniques, either personally, or, if appropriate, directs co-pilot/safety pilot to do so, as required for the phase of flight or approach segment;
3. comply in a timely manner, with all clearances, instructions, and procedures issued by ATC and advise accordingly if unable to comply;
4. select, tune, identify, confirm and monitor the operational status of ground and aircraft navigation equipment to be used for the approach procedure;
5. establish the appropriate aircraft configuration and airspeed/V-speed considering turbulence, wind shear, microburst conditions, or other meteorological and operating conditions;
6. complete the aircraft check list items appropriate to the phase of flight or approach segment, including engine out approach and landing checklist, as appropriate;
7. apply altitude corrections to all minimum altitudes depicted on the approach chart used when aerodrome temperatures are 0 degrees Celsius or colder in accordance with the General Section of the Canada Air Pilot;
8. prior to final approach course, maintain declared altitudes (±100 feet) without descending below applicable minimum altitudes, and maintain headings (±10 degrees);
9. apply necessary adjustment to the published Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and visibility criteria for the aeroplane approach category when required, such as NOTAMS, inoperative aeroplane and ground navigation equipment, inoperative visual aids associated with the landing environment;
10. on the intermediate and final segments of the final approach course:
    1. maintain VOR/ LOC/ LOC BC tracking within 1⁄2 scale deflection of the course deviation indicator or within 5 degrees of the desired track in the case of an NDB approach;
    2. fly the approach in a stabilized manner without descending below the applicable minimum altitudes depicted on the approach chart (+as required/–0 feet);
    3. descend to and accurately maintain the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and track to the Missed Approach Point (MAP) or to the recommended minimum visibility that would permit completion of the visual portion of the approach with a normal rate of descent and minimal manoeuvring;
11. maintain declared approach airspeeds (+10/-5 knots);
12. initiate the missed approach procedure, if the required visual references for the intended runway are not obtained at the MAP
13. execute a normal landing from a straight-in or circling approach as required.

Performance Criteria ::: Non Precision Approach 2D SCDA

(06/2017 FTG p.33)

When using an SCDA technique while conducting the final approach segment of a non-precision approach to straight-in minima, the candidate will be assessed on his/her ability to:

1. use temperature corrections to MDA / DA and other published altitudes, during cold weather operations;
2. verify altitude and waypoint information, when supplied from a navigation database, against an independent source if available;
   
3. compute a stable approach path that approximates an optimum descent angle in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), by using any aircraft computer-generated approach path systems or other methods of computing stable approach paths to the target touchdown point, for example by determining an appropriate descent angle or descent rate;
   
4. brief the anticipated procedure in accordance with SOPs, and in particular any additional altitude margin to the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA), where applicable;
   
5. maneuver the aircraft so as to commence the final approach segment in the proper configuration and at an appropriate indicated airspeed, in accordance with SOPs;
   
6. overfly any step-down fix between the Final Approach Fix (FAF) and the Missed Approach Point (MAP) at or above the minimum altitude;
   
7. carry out a continuous descent, without level-offs, to be flown based on the descent angle obtained from the approach chart or as determined by the flight crew member(s);
   
8. meet all criteria for a stabilized approach by 1000 feet AGL under Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) or 500 feet AGL under Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC), or as defined by SOPs, in a timely manner;
   
9. maintain an appropriate vertical profile to a point in space which will permit a safe landing with minimum manoeuvring if the required visual reference to continue to land has been established;
   
10. initiate a missed approach if any stabilized approach parameter is not met by the applicable limit as established under criterion (h), or if the required visual reference necessary to continue to land has not been established, upon reaching the earlier of: i. MDA / DA; or ii. the MAP; and
    
11. commence the horizontal (lateral) navigation portion of the published missed approach procedure at the MAP.
    

Note: An air operator need not take advantage of an exemption to paragraph 602.128(2)(b) of the CARs in order to implement SCDA procedures.

Without that exemption however, flight crews must be mindful to add an appropriate altitude margin to MDA if using it as a DA during an SCDA profile, so as to avoid flying below MDA should a missed approach be initiated because visual references to continue the approach to land have not materialized.

In air operations taking advantage of that exemption, a pilot may descend below a published MDA, even if the required visual reference necessary to continue the approach to land has not been established, after initiating a missed approach at MDA, when MDA is used as a DA at the end of an SCDA profile. Approved Check Pilots should be aware that this exemption is subject to the following conditions:

1. The pilot-in-command shall conduct a final approach descent with a planned SCDA from the final approach fix to a nominal landing runway threshold crossing height of 50 feet;
   
2. The pilot-in-command shall initiate a missed approach upon reaching the earliest of either the MDA or the MAP, where the required visual reference necessary to continue the approach to land has not been established;
   
3. The pilot-in-command shall not conduct an SCDA approach on procedures requiring a remote altimeter setting correction;
   
4. The pilot-in-command shall conduct the instrument approach procedure to straight-in minima, and the final approach course shall not be more than 15 degrees from runway centreline; and
   The pilot-in-command of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) aircraft operated by the holder of an air
5. operator certificate or a private operator certificate issued by the Minister shall maintain compliance with all of the requirements set out in the Schedule attached to this exemption.

Performance Criteria ::: GPS 2D

(06/2017 FTG p.35)

1. select and comply with the GPS instrument approach procedure to be performed;
2. establish two-way communications with ATC using the proper communications phraseology and techniques, either personally, or, if appropriate, directs co-pilot/safety pilot to do so, as required for the phase of flight or approach segment;
3. comply in a timely manner, with all clearances, instructions, and procedures issued by ATC and advise accordingly if unable to comply
4. retrieve the GPS approach from the database, conduct a Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) check or a multi-sensor RNAV check and verify the approach waypoints used for the approach procedure;
5. establish the appropriate aircraft configuration and airspeed/V-speed considering turbulence, wind shear, microburst conditions, or other meteorological and operating conditions
6. complete the aircraft check list items appropriate to the phase of flight or approach segment, including engine out approach and landing checklist, as appropriate;
7. apply altitude corrections to all minimum altitudes depicted on the approach chart used when aerodrome temperatures are 0 degrees Celsius or colder in accordance with the General Section of the Canada Air Pilot.
8. prior to final approach course, maintain declared altitudes (±100 feet) without descending below applicable minimum altitudes and maintain headings (±10 degrees);
   apply necessary adjustment to the published Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and visibility
9. criteria for the aeroplane approach category when required, such as NOTAMS, inoperative aeroplane and ground navigation equipment, inoperative visual aids associated with the landing environment.
10. take appropriate action in the event that a RAIM alert is displayed when the aircraft is established on the final approach course;
11. on the intermediate and final segments of the final approach course:
    1. maintain GPS track bar within 1⁄2 scale deflection;
    2. fly the approach in a stabilized manner without descending below the applicable minimum altitudes depicted on the approach chart (+as required/–0 feet);
    3. announce the approach active mode within 2 nm prior to reaching the Final Approach Waypoint (FAWP) inbound;
12. descend to and accurately maintain the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) and track to the Missed Approach Waypoint (MAWP) or to the recommended minimum visibility that would permit completion of the visual portion of the approach with a normal rate of descent and minimal manoeuvring;
13. maintain the declared approach airspeeds within +10/-5 knots;
14. initiate the missed approach procedure when the required visual references for the intended runway are not obtained at the MAWP; and
15. execute a normal landing from a straight-in or circling approach as required.

Performance Criteria ::: Precision Approach 3D, ILS or LPV

(06/2017 FTG p.36)

1. select and comply with the ILS or LPV instrument approach procedure to be performed;
2. establish two-way communications with ATC using the proper communications phraseology and techniques, either personally, or, if appropriate, directs co-pilot/safety pilot to do so, as required for the phase of flight or approach segment;
3. comply in a timely manner, with all clearances, instructions, and procedures issued by ATC and advise accordingly if unable to comply;
4. select, tune, identify and confirm the operational status of ground and aircraft navigation equipment to be used for the approach procedure, and in the case of an LPV approach, retrieve and validate the procedure from the appropriate database and conduct a RAIM check or similar operational check in accordance with SOPs;
5. establish the appropriate aircraft configuration and airspeed/V-speed considering turbulence, wind shear, microburst conditions, or other meteorological and operating conditions;
6. complete the aircraft checklist items appropriate to the phase of flight or approach segment, including engine-out approach and landing checklist, as appropriate;
7. apply altitude corrections to published altitudes depicted on the approach chart used when aerodrome temperatures are 0 degrees Celsius or colder in accordance with the General Section of the Canada Air Pilot;
8. apply necessary adjustment to the published Decision Height (DH) or Decision Altitude (DA) and visibility criteria for the aeroplane approach category when required, considering items such as NOTAMS, inoperative aeroplane and ground navigation equipment, inoperative visual aids associated with the landing environment;
9. prior to final approach course, maintain declared or assigned altitudes within ±100 feet without descending below applicable minimum altitudes and maintain headings within ±10 degrees;
10. on final approach course, allow no more than 1⁄2 scale deflection of the localizer and/or glide slope / glide path indications;
11. during an approach to LPV minimums, confirm meeting Required Navigation Performance (RNP) criteria, such as an approach-active mode for example, prior to reaching the Final Approach Waypoint (FAWP) inbound on the final approach course, in accordance with SOPs;
    
12. during an approach to LPV minimums, take appropriate action in the event that RNP criteria are no longer met when the aircraft is established on the final approach course;
    
13. maintain declared approach airspeeds within +10/-5 knots;
14. maintain a stabilized descent to the Decision Height (DH) or Decision Altitude (DA) to permit completion of the visual portion of the approach and landing with minimal manoeuvring; and
15. initiate the missed approach procedure, upon reaching the DH/DA, when the required visual references for the intended runway are not obtained.

Performance Criteria ::: Circling Approach

(06/2017 FTG p.37)

1. demonstrate adequate knowledge of circling approach categories, speeds, and complies with procedures to a specified runway;
2. in simulated or actual instrument conditions to MDA, accomplish the circling approach selected by the ACP;
3. demonstrate sound judgment and knowledge of the aeroplane maneuvering capabilities throughout the circling approach;
4. confirm the direction of traffic and adheres to all restrictions and instructions issued by ATC;
5. descend at a rate that ensures arrival at the MDA at, or prior to, a point from which a normal circle-to-land manoeuvre can be accomplished;
6. avoids descent below the appropriate circling MDA or exceeding the visibility criteria until in a position from which a descent to a normal landing can be made;
7. manoeuvre the aeroplane, after reaching the authorized circling approach altitude, by visual references to maintain a flight path that permits a normal landing on a runway at least 90° from the final approach course;
8. perform the procedure without excessive manoeuvring and without exceeding the normal operating limits of the aeroplane (the angle of bank should not exceed 30°);
9. maintain the desired altitude within -0, +100 feet, heading/track within ±10°, the airspeed/Vspeed within +10/-5 knots, but not less than the airspeed as specified in the POH or the AFM;
10. use the appropriate aeroplane configuration for normal and abnormal situations and procedures, where applicable;
11. turn in the appropriate direction, when a missed approach is dictated during the circling approach, and uses the correct procedure and aeroplane configuration; and
12. perform all procedures required for the circling approach and aeroplane control in a smooth, positive, and timely manner.