RAF Wittering - Talkdown Approach Precision Approach Radar (PAR) Rwy 25

Precision approach radar (PAR) is a type of radar guidance system designed to provide lateral and vertical guidance to an aircraft pilot for landing, until the landing threshold is reached. Precision approach radars are most frequently used at military air traffic control facilities. Controllers monitoring the PAR displays observe each aircraft's position and issue instructions to the pilot that keep the aircraft on centreline and glidepath during final approach. After the aircraft reaches the decision height (DH), further guidance is advisory only. The overall concept is known as ground-controlled approach (GCA), and this name was also used to refer to the radar systems in the early days of its development.

 

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Edited April 5, 20215 yr by Alpha Floor

I was a USAF GCA/PAR air traffic controller many years ago in Spain.  I didn't know any facilities or the approaches are still in use. PAR approaches were a lot of work for everybody and not normally popular amongst civilian pilots. There were also ASR (Airport Surveillance Radar) approaches, without vertical guidance.  

9 minutes ago, Les Parson said:

I was a USAF GCA/PAR air traffic controller many years ago in Spain.  I didn't know any facilities or the approaches are still in use. PAR approaches were a lot of work for everybody and not normally popular amongst civilian pilots. There were also ASR (Airport Surveillance Radar) approaches, without vertical guidance.  

That's interesting!

Can you see any differences in the way the Brits do these as opposed to the Americans?

I only flew this approach because the airfield in question had put out a NOTAM essentially begging for traffic due to controller currency. I asked if they would give me a PAR approach and they were happy to do it, so I took this chance! I don't think I would have gotten it on normal non-Covid times. It was my first time I flew this approach and really liked the experience! Next time I won't forget to acknowledge the gear down thing as the military guys like you to do (the civilian ATCs don't care about this!)

If you were in Spain, I bet it was either Rota or Morón. I did my initial flight training in Jerez LEJR and flew over the Rota airspace many times, above their controlled airspace. 

9 minutes ago, Alpha Floor said:

That's interesting!

Can you see any differences in the way the Brits do these as opposed to the Americans?

I only flew this approach because the airfield in question had put out a NOTAM essentially begging for traffic due to controller currency. I asked if they would give me a PAR approach and they were happy to do it, so I took this chance! I don't think I would have gotten it on normal non-Covid times. It was my first time I flew this approach and really liked the experience! Next time I won't forget to acknowledge the gear down thing as the military guys like you to do (the civilian ATCs don't care about this!)

If you were in Spain, I bet it was either Rota or Morón. I did my initial flight training in Jerez LEJR and flew over the Rota airspace many times, above their controlled airspace. 

The British phraseology is very similar to the U.S. for PAR approaches. The USAF phraseology was: "On Course, on Glidepath" or "Slight Left of Course, Above Glidepath...";  The pilot would be instructed to execute a missed approach if no transmission received within every five seconds. That's a lot of talking for a slow-mover on a 10 mile final which could  make the process quite exhausting.

Most of our approaches were hi-speed fighter types such as F4E, F100s, Spanish Air Force F104, or transports like USAF C130s, C141 and C5s. We also had civilian contract carriers like Pan Am, TWA, Universal, FedEx and many more with B707, DC-8 type equipment. Typically, the civilians wanted no part of PAR and would almost insist on vectors to the ILS. Most of our approaches were conducted for training requirements during VMC. However, when weather was low IMC, you would feel a true sense of accomplishment having conducted an approach down to minimums and sincere pilot appreciation for a successful approach made it all worth the effort; but actual incidents like this were rare. As I mentioned, this was a long, long time ago in the early 1970s. 

This was at Torrejon Air Base (LETO), about 35 km from Madrid and closer to the civilian Barajas (LEMD) Airport. USAF has since departed Torrejon and I understand the GCA equipment has been relocated from our mobile trailer near Runway 05/23 to an on-base building.