This is Part 5 of my Boot Camp Series on "How To Fly The Perfect ILS".

 

This video demonstrates an ILS approach with ATC providing radar vectors into Seattle Airport, landing on runway 16L. This approach also demonstrates flying via the MCP-only for the approach (decoupled from LNAV and VNAV).

 

This was a requested video by two of our flight simmers. One wanted to see an ATC radar vectored approach and the other wanted to see an MCP-only approach. It was a natural to combine both of these into one approach.

 

I originally thought I could do it in one video but the briefing/ground school portion got too long. So it is now in two parts:

 

Part 5a - the briefing/ground school discussing the STAR to be flown.

 

Part 5b - the flying demo in the PMDG 737NGX simulator.

 

Notes:

 

I'm using a relatively new (for me) add-on camera viewing system called OpusSFX. It also incorporates a weather engine which is a feature I wish it did not have. I don't like add-ons that try and combine multiple capabilities. I'd much rather have a camera add-on that is just a camera add-on. And when and if I buy a weather add-on engine, I'd prefer it to just be that. In any event, I don't have the weather engine configured properly yet so my altimeter setting is off a little bit. While you may note this in the ILS approach as I make the fix call which is at 1900 feet, the altimeter is off by a little bit, not much, but I wanted to mention it here. Just know that when you fly this same approach, as you cross the 6.2 DME fix, your altimeter will probably show a slightly more accurate reading than mine does.

 

These two video parts took a long time to put together. My PC hard drive crashed as some of you may remember last week when I made a posting for some technical help. I had to re-install my Win7 OS and then re-install my PMDG 737NGX, etc. So, I lost a few days with that ordeal. All in all, these two videos took about two weeks of work to put together in their final form.

 

My draft videos were checked by my review team (below) and they made numerous suggestions for improvement. And I have implemented all of their suggestions in the final versions.

 

Special thanks to Matt for providing the ATC vectors. This ILS approach is one that Matt flys in the real world many times. We collaborated back and forth to fine tune the structure of the approach to reflect the real world behavior of the 737NGX and the PMDG 737NGX behavior. Their aerodynamic descent behavior is not the same. The video presents a compromise of the real world approach, but one that meets the target objectives for this training video.

 

And special thanks to Kyle for helping to fine tune the ATC commands for this ILS approach.

 

Once again, with the help of the following individuals, I believe we have brought you another outstanding video tutorial for the PMDG 737NGX:

 

(1) Spin737 (Matt Colles)

(2) efmartin (Eric Martin)

(3) g_precentralis (Lj. Prodanovic)

(4) kevinh (Kevin Hall)

(5) scandinavian13 (Kyle Rogers)

(6) pcubine (Michael Cubine)

 

Please send your comments and questions to me here (PM me) or email me at ralph at primemail dot com.

 

Thank you and I hope you all enjoy this Part 5 video tutorial in this ILS series.

 

 

Part 5a The Briefing:

 

 

Part 5b The Flying Demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJTqnpTQ7L4

 

 

And special thanks to Kyle for helping to fine tune the ATC commands for this ILS approach.

 

Welcome!  Glad I could help!  Good stuff here.

Ralph,

Thanks for another informative video.

One question; the last ATC speed instruction I saw was to maintain 210Kts.  From there you eventually started putting out flaps and slowing down without any further speed instructions from ATC. When does speed become pilot discretion?

Thx,

Al

When does speed become pilot discretion?

 

The magic words are "...cleared [approach name] approach."

 

So, as soon as the pilot - in this case - heard "cleared ILS Runway 16L approach," speed became his or her discretion.  See below:

 

JO 7110.65U Section 5-7-1 c. and d.:

c. At the time approach clearance is issued, previously issued speed adjustments must be restated if required.

d. Approach clearances cancel any previously assigned speed adjustment. Pilots are expected to make their own speed adjustments to complete the approach unless the adjustments are restated.

The magic words are "...cleared [approach name] approach."

 

So, as soon as the pilot - in this case - heard "cleared ILS Runway 16L approach," speed became his or her discretion.  See below:

OK, thanks Kyle. So I assume the ATC instruction to turn to 250 and descend would normally also include some type of speed reduction info to allow slowing to flap maneuvering speeds prior to the approach.

Al

So in the real world, what are the typical distances at which speeds are reduced? I could be mistaken of course, but I doubt it's normal to slow down to final approach speed when still 12 miles out and 3500' AGL like in the video, unless there isn't much traffic.

Kyle provided us with a great answer. One could even say a 'regulatory' answer.

 

Pilot discretion, as we all know, can and does vary from pilot to pilot. After all, when you're the Captain, the decisions you make are why they pay you the big bucks, right? 

 

Anyway, I'll tell you why I flew that approach the way I did. At some point in the approach, I'm going to need to go to flaps 1 and then to flaps 5. In my opinion, I wouldn't put out flaps and not slow to their maneuvering speed. Matt and I actually discussed the issue of when to put out flaps on this approach. He said I could put out flaps 1 but keep my 210 speed. But I wasn't comfortable with that technique (it is a valid option but I don't care for that option I'm just saying). If I'm going to keep my speed up to 210, then I elect to do it in a clean configuration.

 

As I stated in the approach, I elected to hold off on putting my flaps out as long as possible because of the 210 speed restriction. Then when I did, I slowed to maneuvering speed for that flap setting. I waited until turning base leg to go to flaps 5 and that's as late as I wanted to go before calling for flaps 5. I also did this for another reason: this is the Boeing standard and in this case, it fit, so I did it. When I say it fit, I mean some times you can't put out flaps in a Boeing Standard fashion, but here it worked out fine to do so.

 

And finally, let me say this: Personally, I would not wait until cleared for the approach to put out my flaps and start to slow. Yes, you could do it, but I wouldn't be comfortable in doing it that way.

 

Remember, if you ask 10 pilots to fly the same approach, you will see it flown in 10 slightly different ways 

OK, thanks Kyle. So I assume the ATC instruction to turn to 250 and descend would normally also include some type of speed reduction info to allow slowing to flap maneuvering speeds prior to the approach.

 

Welcome.  I can't remember what was said and when in the video, and I can't listen to it now (at work), so I can't speak to the video directly...

 

Basically, it's not in a controller's best interest to micromanage.  Unless there's an absolute need to reduce speeds, you're not going to hear a controller issue a restriction.  If you go get a restriction, it's usually one and then right back to "resume normal speed," which is again, pilot's discretion.

 

Ralph alludes to it, though not entirely correctly, so I'll address both him and you in the following section:

 

And finally, let me say this: Personally, I would not wait until cleared for the approach to put out my flaps and start to slow. Yes, you could do it, but I wouldn't be comfortable in doing it that way.

 

Remember, if you ask 10 pilots to fly the same approach, you will see it flown in 10 slightly different ways 

 

If you think the controller has forgotten about you, or the speed restriction is going to place you in an awkward spot to get down, the pilot must absolutely speak up.  It's not acceptable to deviate from a controller instruction, and in the real world, you could get the dreaded phone number because of it.  In other words, if you don't want to wait until cleared for the approach, it's absolutely necessary to report it to the controller (e.g.: "Appoach, ASA1, we'd like to begin slowing to about 180 to begin setting up for the approach - it's tough to slow the 73 down while descending").  The controller usually won't object, but if he or she does, it might just be a counter of "can you give me [X] speed until [FIX]?"  If you can't, it shouldn't be a huge deal.  Even in tight airspace like NY, controllers are taught to have ways of managing spacing when things don't go to the "plan."

(Shameless plug for the prevalence of vectors here in the States to allow for that kind of flexibility.)

 

I definitely agree on the technique bit, though.

So in the real world, what are the typical distances at which speeds are reduced? I could be mistaken of course, but I doubt it's normal to slow down to final approach speed when still 12 miles out and 3500' AGL like in the video, unless there isn't much traffic.

 

Hi Mike

 

I don't think it's so much of a question of how how far out you are as it is where you are in your approach. If you take a look at the ILS diagram in the Flight Crew Training manual (FCTM) on page 5.14, it tells where to put out flaps 1 and flaps 5, but doesn't give a distance. This is because each airport is different and what distance would work at one wouldn't work at another.

 

So while you can't always say "I'm 12 miles out so now I'm going to flaps 1 or flaps 5", etc. you can always say "I'm on the inbound transition leg so now I'm going to flaps 1". And then when you're finally on your LOC intercept heading, you can say now I'm going to flaps 5. In other words, that ILS diagram in the FCTM on page 5.14 will work for 98% of the airports.

 

The last thing I want to say about this Seattle approach, is that you are fighting descending all the way down to LOC capture. You are constantly descending. As I stated in the video, this presents speed reduction problems and planning challenges when you do need to slow. The 737NGX does not slow down and come down at the same time very well (most jets don't). That is why I elected to put out my flaps 5 upon turning base vs waiting for my 190 intercept heading. I didn't want to be 2 miles from the localizer and still trying to slow down to flaps 5 maneuvering speed. But that's just me.

I saw the first one of these and it is great. I cannot find the other four. I see a posting further down and the links state "removed by user" when I try to click on them.

 

Greg

This is my YouTube Channel link: https://www.youtube.com/user/rfresh1011

 

All of my ILS videos are there.

Okay, so in Seattle, you'll usually get 170 or better to DGLAS.

 

Often you'll get 190 (maybe 190 or better) to KARFO and 170 to DGLAS.

 

Occasionally you'll get a restriction (210) on downwind if you're following someone and they need more spacing.

 

RW, you're listening to clues as to how far out you'll get vectored. The guy in front of you went 15 miles out? You will, too. ATC tells you you're next? Get down now.

 

Downwind - I go fast to get down. 250 knots with whatever drag I need (clean? gear? speedbrakes? BOTH??)

Good answers. I was just curious because when I listen to Denver approach controllers, they often say something like "maintain 170 knots or greater until [fix]". And whenever flying in the RW as a passenger on a jet, I always feel the airplane slow waaaay down with final flaps coming out when we're pretty close, maybe 2000 AGL (that's just a wild guess). I suppose it is just different depending on the airport. I figure that at major airports, the speed might need to be issued a bit more often to provide spacing since several aircraft are often using the relatively same approach path.

 

 

Remember, if you ask 10 pilots to fly the same approach, you will see it flown in 10 slightly different ways

 

No truer words were ever written.