Prepare For Your Instrument Test pt4
Finally we are getting into the meat and potatoes of instrument flying. As part of your arrival procedures, the examiner will often clear you direct to a VOR to expect a holding clearance. You should be prepared to hold in a published pattern or a non published pattern. The recommended entries are not mandatory, only recommended, so don’t tie yourself up in knots trying to figure the entry out. Use a logical entry and stay within the holding boundaries. If you get disoriented during the entry (it happens) just return direct to the fix and start the entry again.
Some pilots like to slow down for holding and that is a fine idea, but don’t reduce power just prior to or as you cross the fix. Doing so adds an extra work load at an already busy time. Often pilots who do this fail to trim for the power reduction and then have lots of trouble maintaining altitude. If you chose to slow down, do it prior to the fix and get the aircraft trimmed for the new speed before you get involved with turning, timing, twisting and talking. Remember, holding clearances are given in radials, so be sure to set the OBS to the proper inbound setting.
This may be the time the examiner decides to test your knowledge of communication failure procedures so be sure you have written down the EFC time and have a plan in mind to complete the approach.
Buried in the navigation systems portion of the PTS is a task called intercepting and tracking a DME arc. If your aircraft is DME equipped, you will be asked to demonstrate this skill. It is not a difficult task if you have practiced it but every now and then I come across a pilot who has never done it. Your flight test is not the time to be trying something new and pilots often prove that on this maneuver.
Now on to the approaches. As you know from the PTS, two non precision and one precision approach are required. At least one of non precision approach will involve a full procedure turn.
Do not start an approach unless you have had time to properly review the approach plate. If you need more time, ask ATC for a delaying vector. This is good advice for real life as well as for your test. Make certain you understand what you are doing before you begin descent. The minimum items you need to know are, where does the descent begin (FAF)? Where does the approach end (MAP)? How low can I go and what is the initial climb heading for the missed approach?
Next you need to get the current weather. Since that altimeter is an important gadget for keeping us out of the trees, we want it to be accurately set. We should also consider the wind and its effect on our track and ground speed.
Let’s talk about the ILS first as that one is the most fun.
Prior to starting the approach, verify with the approach chart that you have the proper frequency and inbound course set up on your primary navigation radio and aurally identify it. Your life depends upon having this set up properly. If you don’t need that second navigation radio to identify the FAF, set it to the ILS. Better to have a back up than to have that radio doing nothing. A radio or instrument failure will be more easily recognized if both radios are tuned to the ILS. Now if you have a moment, you may wish to set up your standby navigation frequencies for the missed approach. Also program the tower and/or ground control frequencies in the stand by communication Slots. Now you are ready for the approach.
As soon as you intercept the localizer, attempt to establish a heading or small range of headings that will track that localizer. If you do not have a specific heading in mind that will hold the localizer, you will be chasing that needle all the way down. The same concept is true for the glide slope, we need to learn to track it rather than chase it. As you descend through five hundred feet above the ground, double your scan as those beams get very narrow down there.
There is no time to review the approach plate after passing the FAF. When I see a pilots head go down to read something on the plate, the next thing I usually see is an excursion from the localizer or glide slope or both. Now that pilot has just doubled his work load. Review the plate, complete the landing check list and be ready to call the tower before the FAF, then all one has to do is fly the airplane down to DH.
If things go well and we see the required references, we can land from this ILS. Remember to stay on the glide slope until flare. Ducking below the glide slope has been the cause of many fatal accidents. It looks easy on a clear day but there are a multitude of traps during low visibility and at night. Not to mention that the PTS requires it.
So there we are, back on the ground and a good time for a short break before we take on the non precision and circling approaches.
Keep it safe!
Wally Moran