On approach to KIAH tonight in Houston, I was told to:"expect vectors to RWY 15L Approach sidestep RWY 15R"What does that mean? Thanks everyone!Chris

A controllers good friend is what it is. When on final at an airport with dual runways like 15R/15L, the controller has the ability to use this procedure. If say 4 aircraft are on final for the ILS 15L app and his spacing is getting a little tight, he can tell #2 in sequence to side step over to 15R, speed up #3 a little and slow #4 down. Spacing problem solved. I believe this is how it is used but I may be wrong.

Sidestep Maneuver - ATC may authorize a side-step maneuver to either one of two parallel runways that are separated by 1,200 feet or less, followed by a straight-in landing on the adjacent runway. Aircraft executing a side-step maneuver will be cleared for a specified nonprecision approach and landing on the adjacent parallel runway. For example, "Cleared ILS runway 7 left approach, side-step to runway 7 right." Pilots are expected to commence the side-step maneuver as soon as possible after the runway or runway environment is in sight. Landing minimums to the adjacent runway will be based on nonprecision criteria and therefore higher than the precision minimums to the primary runway, but will normally be lower than the published circling minimums. However, when in doubt, use circling minimums. Found there -> http://www.altairvafs.com/training/ava_tra..._ifr_circle.htm

Radarbeam..A friendly reminder: Please sign your post with your real name as posted in the forum rules. Thanks!VinPMDGwww.precisionmanuals.comhttp://www.vinscimone.com/dancnkid.gifhttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/devteam.jpg

My bad, sorry about that Vin ;)Nick

Why not just clear you right off the bat for the other runway then? In your example, rather than tell the pilot to sidestep to rwy 7R, why not just clear them for 7r from the outset. Also, if 7L is non ILS, & 7R is ILS equiped, once you get the clearance to sidestep to 7R, can you then tune the 7R ILS frequency & just follow that down to minimums? Thanks!Chris

I cant imagine this was FS9 ATC? Was it on VATSIM?Andrew

Hello Chris,as an active spotter, and person who lives close to EWR I might try to clear some things out. :-)Usually, at least in EWR. They use one RWY for landings, and one for take offs. FOr example, 04R is landing RWY and 04L is t/o RWY. All airplanes are expected and vectored to land on 04R. 04L is used for t/o. Now, there is a problem with spacing, and it might become illegal. Tower ATC will ask you to side step so nothing illegal happens. As I rember, this was done only in good wx conditions, and never when visibility was bad, or it was raining/snowing. I might be wrong with this, but I can not rember one incident what side step would be allowed on a bad day. But again, I might be wrong. Cheers,Andrej

>Usually, at least in EWR. They use one RWY for landings, and one >for take offs. FOr example, 04R is landing RWY and 04L is t>/o RWY. >All airplanes are expected and vectored to land on 04R. 04L is used >for t/o. >>Now, there is a problem with spacing, and it might become illegal. Tower ATC will ask you to side step so nothing illegal >happens. Up until a few years ago 4L the takeoff runway (8200 ft) was too short for some the Heavy Departures. The Tower would thenhave to sequence some of the heavy deprtures to takeoff on 4R the landing runway which was the longer runway back then. They would then side step some of the 4R arrivals onto 4L for landing to limit the arrival delays that allowing the heavy Takeoffs on the normal landing runway would cause.I'd be surprised if side-steps aren't a rarity at EWR these days now that 4L has been extended to 11,000 ft. Regards.Ernie.

KSFO uses a side-step to 28L, from a 28R approach, at night. The reason is that this offers better noise abatement.Bruce.

>Why not just clear you right off the bat for the other runway then? >In your example, rather than tell the pilot to sidestep to rwy 7R, >why not just clear them for 7r from the outset. One reason might be 7L has the ILS and 7R does not. So they can stay on instruments to 7L till they visually acquire 7R. >Also, if 7L is non ILS, & 7R is ILS equiped, once you get the >clearance to sidestep to 7R, can you then >tune the 7R ILS >frequency & just follow that down to minimums? A side-step can only be performed after completing an instrument approach, so 7L would have to have an instrument approach available to get the side step clearance to 7R.Regards.Ernie.