Professional Documents
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Canpa
Canpa
OFFICE OF THE
31-74127
TELEGRAMS:
AIRCIVIL
Reference: No.:
Dated:
Av.22016/15/2002-FID
st
21 March, 2005
1.
Background
The majority of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents happen on
approaches with no vertical guidance. Statistically, the risk of an accident during
approach and landing phase is five times greater in case of a non-precision
approach as compared to a precision approach. Especially vulnerable are night
time visual approaches into airports surrounded by darkness to runways without
a PAPI or VASI. Traditional step-down approaches are based on an obstacle
clearance profile and are not considered suitable for modern turbine-powered
aircraft. The potential vulnerability of 2-dimensional approaches can be reduced
by introducing constant descent angle procedures for non-precision instrument
approaches. The purpose of this circular is to implement procedures by which
the flight crews can fly an appropriate stabilized vertical profile to the runway
threshold while conducting non-precision approaches.
The ICAO Procedures for Air Navigation Services-Aircraft Operations (PANSOPS) prescribes a stabilized approach in that the aircraft must be in a stabilized
position at a certain altitude. For an optimum approach technique, the
stabilization should not only exist at a certain position, but should be a
continuous state, established as early as possible after joining the final
Contd..P/2
--2--
approach track. An optimum landing maneuver requires the aircraft to reach the
decision altitude or point in a stabilized state, in order to allow sufficient time for
the pilot to assess the visual cues for the decision to land or to go-around. The
aircraft attitude and position relative to the runway should be similar in each
approach, to the greatest extent possible, in order to permit the pilot to utilize
similar Standard Operating Procedures for all types of instrument approaches.
Airlines all over the world have started to use a technique called CANPA.
CANPA stands for Constant Angle Non-Precision Approach. The idea of
CANPA is to fly a constant angle approach even if a glide slope or visual slope
indicator such as a VASI or PAPI is unavailable. CANPA involves making a
stabilized constant angle descent rather than a quick descent to the MDA
followed by flying level at the MDA until the runway environment is in sight.
CANPA has the following advantages as compared to the traditional stepdown approaches:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
--3--
2.
CANPA procedures
Derived Decision Altitude (Height) (DDA(H)) Concept
Nothing about CANPA changes the fact that the MDA or step down altitudes
must be respected. CANPA is merely a way to descend to the MDA in a manner
such that if you see the runway at MDA you can continue with minimal
adjustments to the flight path. With CANPA, the MDA is always respected and
the requirements of ICAO PANS-OPS in respect of descent below the MDA do
not change- It is not permissible to descend below the MDA unless the required
visual reference is established. It must be understood that if a go around is
initiated at MDA while descending, the aircraft will go below the MDA during the
missed approach maneuver, which is not allowed. To compensate for this, the
operators must add a margin of at least 50feet to the MDA and call it a Derived
Decision Altitude (Height) (DDA(H)), so that executing a missed approach at the
DDA(H) will not cause the aircraft to descend below the MDA. The air operators
are required to establish aircraft type specific safety margins (at least 50 feet)
for each aircraft type operated and establish type specific DDA(H) for each
approach. Operator must specify the document from where this value has been
derived.
Derived Decision Altitude (Height) (DDA(H)) is a point located on the centerline
of the approach track and of the stabilized descent profile at an altitude defined
by the operator.
CANPA would allow the aircraft to be flown on the published descent path from
the final approach fix (FAF) to the DDA(H). The DDA(H) is a point from which a
stabilized approach can be continued visually to a landing; or, if visual reference
not established, a point from which a missed approach can be initiated and
conducted with the assurance that the aircraft will not descend below the
MDA(H) or below the state published OCA(H), whichever is higher. Flight crews
need to confirm that the descent path will remain at or above all step-down fixes
published on the approach chart. An example of a typical CANPA profile is
depicted in Figure 1.
Contd.P/4
--4--
Flight technique
The continuous descent approach technique can be flown using almost any
published non-precision approach when the control of the descent path is aided
by either:
(a)
(b)
In order to facilitate the requirement above, the operator should either provide
charts that depict the appropriate crosscheck altitude/height with the
corresponding range information, or such information should be calculated and
provided to the flight crew in an appropriate and usable format.
To achieve a continuous descent flight path on an approach procedure where
step-down fixes are specified, descent may be delayed until after passing the
FAF in order to avoid a level-off at the steps. Alternatively, the FAF may be
crossed at a higher altitude after obtaining prior ATC clearance.
Contd.P/5
--5--
If the required visual reference is not established at the DDA(H), the missed
approach procedure must be executed without delay and there should be no
level flight segment. Any turning maneuver associated with the missed
approach should not be initiated before reaching/overflying the MAPt. If the
aircraft is above the optimum flight path, the published missed approach point
could be reached prior to the DDA(H). In such a case, an immediate missed
approach should be initiated.
DME
FMS
GPS
ATC Radar
--6--
A straight-in approach may be conducted if the pseudo FAF and the distance of
the aircraft from touchdown can be determined using any of the following aids:
DME
FMS
GPS
ATC Radar
--7--
The coded vertical angle may not intersect the final approach fix at the final
approach fix altitude and hence the aircraft may have to fly a short level
segment after passing the FAF. Flight crews should verify that the VNAV
function is operating in the path mode as opposed to the speed mode to
ensure that the FMS will fly the vertical angle contained in the database. Vertical
deviation should be monitored using the indication on the map display and the
FMS CDU progress page. The acceptable vertical deviation criteria should be
determined by the operator for the purpose of deviation alerting. Though the
required callouts on approach will be identical to those used for an ILS
approach, it should be kept in mind that automatic lateral or vertical deviation
alerting may not be available from the aircraft instrumentation.
VNAV approaches are based on the use of barometric vertical
path
computations and as a result subject to the effect of temperature deviation from
the standard. Under extreme cold temperature conditions (ISA-45deg), the
vertical path angle can decrease by as much as 0.5 deg. Applying a correction
to FAF crossing altitude will not correct this problem. Hence it may not be
possible to use VNAV under extreme temperature conditions.
Air operators must validate the navigation database integrity of every approach
procedure which they intend to use by conducting at least one trial approach
and establishing a suitable system for fault reporting by flight crews to monitor
effectiveness and refine operational procedures.
3.
--8--
The overall responsibility for respecting the minimum altitudes lies with the crew.
If the position of the aircraft cannot be determined with reasonable accuracy, the
crew may revert to conventional approach procedures.
In order to gain proficiency pending approval, flight crews should be encouraged
to practice CANPA approaches using ILS (Glide Slope Out) and other nonprecision approach procedures in VMC.
The operators proficiency check should include at least one CANPA to a
landing or go around as appropriate. The approach should be operated to the
applicable DDA(H); and if conducted in a simulator the approach should be
conducted to the lowest approved weather minima.
Emphasis during training should be placed on the flight crews:
Need to ensure that the decision to go around must at the latest be taken upon
reaching the DDA(H) in order to avoid a descent below the published MDA(H),
specifically in the case of a very early missed approach point ( application of an
approaching minima call);
Contd.P/9
--9--
Understanding the need for prompt go around action when at DDA(H) and the
required visual reference has not been established;
4.
require
late
change
of
Conclusion
CANPA offers a significant safety improvement for non-precision approaches
under all conditions by providing a more stabilized flight path and reducing crew
workload. It will greatly reduce risk of error and the potential for CFIT-related
accidents in line with the ALAR policy of DGCA as laid down in Operations
Circular No.1 of 2003, Para 2.4. The resulting stabilized approach from the FAF
to the runway greatly simplifies the flight crews task on final approach and
allows them more time to focus on acquiring the runway environment and
conducting the landing. This in turn should result in a higher success rate in
landing off non-precision approaches, besides supporting the ICAO goal of
having all approaches stabilized by 1000 feet AGL in IMC. In the interest of
safety, the operators should discontinue the use of step-down or dive-and-drive
non-precision approaches as soon as and wherever possible.
All Operators shall develop standard operating procedures including
additional procedures for aircraft with more advanced navigation systems, and
train their pilots to fly CANPA. On completion of training, necessary approval to
conduct CANPA procedures for execution of non-precision approaches will be
granted by the DGCA.