Hey guys, bit of a daft question but I'm coming back to the skies again on my channel and recording a flight from Birmingham (EGBB) to Dubai (OMDB)

 

Can anyone tell me what the correct altitude is for Glideslope Intercept for Runway 12L for an ILS approach?

 

I have the charts but not sure if it's just me being stupid I cannot see the altitude for glideslope capture on there?

 

Thanks in advance!

Yorkie

Hi:

 

It's 2,000 ft, according to the chart below:

 

 

Cheers, Ed

That is a fair question, but the answer it depends on your distance from the final approach fix (FAF), which is where you want to be on the glideslope (GS). The further you are from the FAF then the higher the GS becomes and the higher your intercept altitude. In this case, as Ed shares above, the GS is 2000 at FAF which is D6.2 IDBL; however ATC might hold you to 4000 ft where you would intercept the GS just outside the initial fix (IF) UKRIM.

 

Why do you ask? As long as you are on the GS crossing the FAF you are assured a safe approach.

I'm not sure how it works outside of the US but in the USA, ATC is required to clear you at or below the glidepath altitude.  (except no lower than the minimum glidepath at the FAF published on the chart)

 

Since that area is relatively flat I'd expect ATC to have you at 2000 ft in the real world and clear you for the approach.

From experience DXB will usually clear you down to 2000 as the published platform altitude however bare in mind flight crew will usually shallow off the decent in order to avoid flying level at the platform altitude unnecessarily. Think constant decent and try to avoid level flight unnecessarily.