Don't blindly trust the slope, you dope!

[TangoWhiskey]

New Zealand Flight 60 ILS Incident video. Wow, did I learn a lot about ILS systems, and the value of vigilance, watching this!

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GelRBhJ4gmI

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTy0U3UVjGE (there is a bit of overlap here, but good new info)

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC2erMjFW2A

Pilots have a tendency to accept the most compelling information... this event teaches one to be vigilant and always validate the information we're presented with on the approach.

 

[KennyFlys]

Gosh, talk about a chain of errors! And all leading to potentially deadly results. I found one more link while watching those three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qaDVaKQSkQ&NR

It's some of the same data but repetition is good.

They make an excellent case for never, ever forgetting to do a good approach brief, knowing where you should be, how high you should be and what indicators you should see at a given point on the approach. I still write "A MICE ATM" along with expected altitudes on my plates every time.

 

[cwyckham]

Great find, Troy. I learned a lot.

Chris

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Gosh, talk about a chain of errors! And all leading to potentially deadly results. I found one more link while watching those three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qaDVaKQSkQ&NR

It's some of the same data but repetition is good.

They make an excellent case for never, ever forgetting to do a good approach brief, knowing where you should be, how high you should be and what indicators you should see at a given point on the approach.

I found it interesting that a "cross check altitude at the FAF" wasn't performed by the crew, but that even if they had done it it would not have guaranteed a good glide slope; they could have just been in the "right spot at the right time" on a false glide slope at that moment, and been off the glideslope the rest of the time down. The investigators suggest we check altitude more often on the way down, but for most approaches all you get is FAF and the middle or inner marker (if the approach still has them, as many are being phased out), so there aren't many opportunities for cross check if the 90/150Hz signals aren't there, and only the carrier wave is broadcasting (which would pull the flags and give you an on-glideslope indication).

I still write "A MICE ATM" along with expected altitudes on my plates every time.

Can you expound on that mnemonic? I'm not familiar with it.

EDIT: Found it on another site. Now I need a mnemonic to help me remember what the letters are! Same thing happens to me with TOMATO FLAMES. I can remember the letters, but dang it, what are each of them!?

Acronym: "A MICE ATM"

A: Atis, Altimeter and approach
M: marker beacon (pins and sensitivity)
I: ID navaids
C: Course..briefed and set
E: Entry..brief PT and any set up needed
A: Altitudes. Also brief callouts expected
T: Times (if a timed approach)
M: Missed (brief and set up in standby avionics)

 

[grattonja]

Nice post. I learned a lot more than I previously knew about the actual mechanics of the glide slope.

Jim G

 

[wbarnhill]

So now I get to go show this to my CFI who kept drilling "Trust your instruments" into my head, and tell him he was wrong, right?

Right?

(Also, this might be unnerving to anyone who flies in one of those sardine cans.)

 

[TangoWhiskey]

So now I get to go show this to my CFI who kept drilling "Trust your instruments" into my head, and tell him he was wrong, right?

Right?

Right! Trust, but only as far as ye can verify!!

 

[KennyFlys]

Troy,

On the "I" also identify the correct plate for the approach you're making. Verify the "Notes" section and make sure you're using the correct altimeter source. There may be more but that piece of information can be the most critical.

The file is a Word file I created from Over The Airwaves. I wanted to save it for a future teaching tool. Although I prefer the "A MICE ATM" format, this provides some good information in a short format. I hope it helps.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Troy,

On the "I" also identify the correct plate for the approach you're making. Verify the "Notes" section and make sure you're using the correct altimeter source. There may be more but that piece of information can be the most critical.

The file is a Word file I created from Over The Airwaves. I wanted to save it for a future teaching tool. Although I prefer the "A MICE ATM" format, this provides some good information in a short format. I hope it helps.

Thanks, Ken. That looks like a great document. Just printed it to read offline!