hi allcan anyone explain to me what does the 3deg approach path mean in FPM, as attached on this diagram, it says you should be on a 3 deg approach path so is that say 700feet/min descent? how do you work this out?thxhttp://forums.avsim.net/user_files/130048.jpg

Hi Clayton,I just drummed this up from Google and various sites seem to agree:3 Degree Glide Slope Descent Rate: Add a zero to your indicated speed, divide by two. This should keep you stabilized on the approach. Ex: 150 knots on the GS. 150(0) / 2 = 750fpm descent. 120(0) / 2 =600fpm descent, etc. 3 Degree Glide Slope: To maintain a 3 degree glideslope (eg: ILS) multiply the groundspeed you are achieving by 5. The resulting number is the rate of descent to fly. Ex. Groundspeed = 110 Kts x 5 = 550fpm rate of descent to maintain 3 degree glideslope

thanks for that Jimcan you tell me if one is flying a purely VOR/DME approach i presume that the field has to have good weather, because ive seen on charts that the actual VOR station could be abit off the airport runway it self, so i mean if there is alot of cloud and your doing a purely VOR/DME approach then you may not see the runway in time and not be able to correct the heading to land the plane correctly if there is clouds or fogsso the q is what altitude of clouds and visability is minimum to do a VOR/DME approach, i also presume if clouds etc are blocking the runway then the ILS approach is used?

Each approach will have the minimums listed on the chart and is dependant upon the category of aircraft being flown. As there is no glideslope normally assosciated with a VOR approach, it becomes a visual approach and is governed by the minimums listed.Have a look at this site:http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/vor-appr.htm