Side Step Maneuver while on ILS approach

John777

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While shooting an ILS approach down to minimum and ATC instructs you to side step to next runway, do I level off at MDA for current runway and side step?


John.
 
MDA for adjacentn runway, thanks !
 
What I do (in a light GA aircraft) is descend as low as needed (down to DH if need be) to acquire both runways visually, and then perform the sidestep.
 
MDA for adjacentn runway, thanks !
Not necessarily. To do a sidestep, you at least need circling minimums for the approach you are flying.

Now, in my experience, all of the times I have seen sidestep runways used, conditions were well above minimums and usually either VFR or at least 1000' ceiling. So, once you break out, you would level off above mins while sidestepping and then start your descent to land at the appropriate point.
 
While shooting an ILS approach down to minimum and ATC instructs you to side step to next runway, do I level off at MDA for current runway and side step?


John.

In your example and question you stated to minimums, which on an ILS is 200' AGL. No, I'm either landing at that point or ATC can send me around. Realty is if the weather is that low ATC wouldn't even ask you to do that. Now breaking out at say 800' agl or similar, sure, I probably would do it, and have at JFK for instance. But we were on a VOR approach anyway w/ higher minimums.
 
Not necessarily. To do a sidestep, you at least need circling minimums for the approach you are flying.

Not according to AIM 5-4-19:
"c. Landing minimums to the adjacent runway will be based on nonprecision criteria and therefore higher than the precision minimums to the primary runway, but will normally be lower than the published circling minimums."

In my own experience (in light GA), I sometimes receive the side-step instruction after commencing the ILS (inside the FAF), and in that case what I do is wait to have both runways acquired visually, and if the maneuver seems safe in my judgment, I hop over to the other runway. Typically this happens above DH and both runways are plenty wide and long, so safety is not an issue. But I would probably be more conservative in a larger aircraft (and would follow the company SOP in any case).
 
Not according to AIM 5-4-19:
"c. Landing minimums to the adjacent runway will be based on nonprecision criteria and therefore higher than the precision minimums to the primary runway, but will normally be lower than the published circling minimums."

In my own experience (in light GA), I sometimes receive the side-step instruction after commencing the ILS (inside the FAF), and in that case what I do is wait to have both runways acquired visually, and if the maneuver seems safe in my judgment, I hop over to the other runway. Typically this happens above DH and both runways are plenty wide and long, so safety is not an issue. But I would probably be more conservative in a larger aircraft (and would follow the company SOP in any case).
Interesting that that is in the AIM. Generally speaking, I wouldn't want to be sidestepping below circling mins.
 
Interesting that that is in the AIM. Generally speaking, I wouldn't want to be sidestepping below circling mins.

I use my judgment as PIC (when getting the sidestep request inside the FAF). If I don't feel safe (with a cushion), I'll decline and go around if needed.
 
There's a terminology issue here. Officially, a sidestep maneuver has specific minimums published for it, as on the Seattle ILS OR LOC RWY 16C:

http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1610/00582IL16C.PDF

Notice that the sidestep minimums to runway 16L are indeed lower than the circling MDA. The runway meets certain requirements allowing that to be the case.

If tower clears you to "sidestep" to a runway that doesn't specifically have sidestep minimums, then all you are really doing is circling to it, and the circling minimums would apply. I believe they should properly clear you to "circle" to the other runway.
 
Fearless and mscard88 articulated what I was trying to convey much better than I managed.

If I'm going to a standard 200' dh there is no sidestepping. I'll take the parallel runway if I'm far enough from the gate to brief and setup the new approach.
 
If your going to the dh and haven't seen the runway, no need to try and do a sidestep.
 
I'd sidestep when I felt comfortable I could do so and make a normal landing.
 
4−8−7. SIDE−STEP MANEUVER
TERMINAL
Side-step Maneuver. When authorized by an instrument
approach procedure, you may clear an aircraft
for an approach to one runway and inform the aircraft
that landing will be made on a parallel runway.
EXAMPLE−
“Cleared I−L−S Runway seven left approach. Side-step to
runway seven right.”
NOTE−
Side-step maneuvers require higher weather minima/
MDA. These higher minima/MDA are published on the
instrument approach charts.
REFERENCE−
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 3−3−2, Closed/Unsafe Runway Information.
P/CG Term− Side−step Maneuver.

This is the controllers rules on Side-Step Manuever. You get it with the approach clearance. Approaches that are authorized for Side-Step have the minimums for it on the Approach Chart. You know your "side-step' MDA before you start the Approach. Unfortunatly the term gets abused and misused sometimes. The Tower telling you to "Side-Step" to another runway when "Side-Step" wasn't included in the Approach Clearance and there are no Side-Step minimums is wrong. So what do you do if they do that to you? I dunno. In visual and airport in sight, I might just move over and land on the other runway. Still in the Goo and they pulled that on me I would not descend below the MDA, if there were circling minimums, until I had the runway environment in sight. If there were no circling minimums I would execute the Missed Approach.
 
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4−8−7. SIDE−STEP MANEUVER
TERMINAL
Side-step Maneuver. When authorized by an instrument
approach procedure, you may clear an aircraft
for an approach to one runway and inform the aircraft
that landing will be made on a parallel runway.
EXAMPLE−
“Cleared I−L−S Runway seven left approach. Side-step to
runway seven right.”
NOTE−
Side-step maneuvers require higher weather minima/
MDA. These higher minima/MDA are published on the
instrument approach charts.
REFERENCE−
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 3−3−2, Closed/Unsafe Runway Information.
P/CG Term− Side−step Maneuver.

This is the controllers rules on Side-Step Manuever. You get it with the approach clearance. Approaches that are authorized for Side-Step have the minimums for it on the Approach Chart. You know your "side-step' MDA before you start the Approach. Unfortunatly the term gets abused and misused sometimes. The Tower telling you to "Side-Step" to another runway when "Side-Step" wasn't included in the Approach Clearance and there are no Side-Step minimums is wrong. So what do you do if they do that to you? I dunno. In visual and airport in sight, I might just move over and land on the other runway. Still in the Goo and they pulled that on me I would not descend below the MDA, if there were circling minimums, until I had the runway environment in sight. If there were no circling minimums I would execute the Missed Approach.
Circling minimums for the cleared runway or adjacent runway I am circling to?
 
Circling minimums for the cleared runway or adjacent runway I am circling to?

It would be the one on the Approach you were cleared for. Expecting you to dig out a different Approach Plate that was for the other Runway when they spring it on you inside the FAF is unrealistic. Even then, continuing with it by sidestepping, I mean this descriptively, sidestepping, not "Side-Step To" is questionable. Personally, I would not leave the MDA for the Approach I was flying until I had the runway environment in sight and could safely sidestep(move over to the paralell runway.)
 
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It would be the one on the Approach you were cleared for. Expecting you to dig out a different Approach Plate that was for the other Runway when they spring it on you inside the FAF is unrealistic. Even then, continuing with it by sidestepping, I mean this descriptively, sidestepping, not "Side-Step To" is questionable. Personally, I would not leave the MDA for the Approach I was flying until I had the runway environment in sight and could safely sidestep(move over to the other runway.)
Thanks for the comments, and your time today.
Appreciate it !
 
Even then, continuing with it by sidestepping, I mean this descriptively, sidestepping, not "Side-Step To" is questionable.
Could you rephrase this please... sorry...
 
Could you rephrase this please... sorry...

I am cleared for the ILS RW7L approach. It has a straight in DA of 200 and a circling MDA of 500. It does not have a Side-Step RW7R MDA. When on final the Tower tells me to Side-Step to RW7R. I would not leave 500 until I had the runway environment in sight and could safely move to the right and land on RW7R. If I was unable to I would execute the Missed Approach. There is no "rule" about this. There is no "rule" about it because it is not supposed to happen. ATC is not supposed to do it. I do not think you are likely to have a test question about it.
 
look at the Approaches for KLAX. Many of them have SIDESTEP minimums. On some of them the MDA is the same to the SIDESTEP runway as the runway to which the Approach is aligned. Some are higher. The Visibility requirement is sometimes higher, sometimes not. ATC is supposed to tell you if you are to Side-Step when they clear for the approach. If the Tower gives it to you later, then it shouldn't be hard to to adjust yourself to the Side-Step manuever if you are ready for it because the minimums are right there on the Approach Chart you have for the approach. If they tell you to sidestep, and there are no SIDESTEP minimums then you have to decide what to do.
 
There's a terminology issue here. Officially, a sidestep maneuver has specific minimums published for it, as on the Seattle ILS OR LOC RWY 16C:

http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1610/00582IL16C.PDF

Notice that the sidestep minimums to runway 16L are indeed lower than the circling MDA. The runway meets certain requirements allowing that to be the case.

If tower clears you to "sidestep" to a runway that doesn't specifically have sidestep minimums, then all you are really doing is circling to it, and the circling minimums would apply. I believe they should properly clear you to "circle" to the other runway.
This is the answer I was looking for! Thanks, and even though AIM briefly explains in detail but does not count for practicality and clarity.
Thanks again for your help and you are indeed a knowledgeable pilot !
 
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