Altitude Deviations
Page 6

AIRBUS INDUSTRIE Getting to Grips with
 Flight Operations Support                           Approach-and-Landing Accidents Reduction

Introduction
Inadequate management of descent-and-approach profile and/or incorrect management of aircraft energy level during approach may in:
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Loss of vertical situational awareness; and/or,

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Rushed and unstabilized approaches.

Either situation increases the risk of approach-and-landing accidents, including those involving CFIT.
Statistical Data
Approximately 70 % of rushed and unstable approaches involve an inadequate management of the descent-and-approach profile and/or an incorrect management of energy level; this includes:
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Being higher or lower than the desired vertical flight path; and/or,

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Being faster or slower than the desired speed.

Best Practices and Guidelines
To prevent delay in initiating the descent and to ensure an optimum management of descent-and-approach profile, descent preparation and approach/go-around briefings should be completed typically 10 minutes before the top-of-descent (or when within VHF communication range).
Descent Preparation:
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If a standard terminal arrival route (STAR) is included in the FMS flight plan but is not expected to be flown, because of anticipated radar vectors, the STAR should be checked (i.e., the track-distance, altitude restrictions and/or speed restrictions) against the anticipated routing to adjust the top-of-descent point accordingly; and,

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Wind forecast should be entered (as available) on the appropriate FMS page, at waypoints close to the top-of-descent point and along the descent profile.

Descent and Approach Briefing:
.  If a missed-approach is included in the FMS flight plan, the missed approach should be reviewed against the applicable approach chart.
Descent Initiation:
.  If descent initiation is delayed by ATC, reduce speed as appropriate to minimize the impact on the descent profile.
Navigation Accuracy Check:
.  If FMS navigation accuracy does not meet the applicable criteria for terminal area navigation or approach, no descent should be made below the MEA or below the sector MSA without prior confirmation of the aircraft position, using navaids raw-data.

Descent and Approach Profile Management
Page 1

Concept of next target and decision gates:
Throughout the entire flight a next target should be defined, in order to stay ahead of the aircraft at all times.
The next target should be any required combination of one or more of the following elements:
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A position;

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An altitude;

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A configuration;

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A speed;

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A vertical speed (as applicable); and,

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A power setting.

If it is anticipated that one or more element(s) of the next target will not be met, the required corrective action(s) should be taken without delay.
During the approach and landing, the successive next targets should constitute gates that must be met for the approach to be continued.
The final approach fix (FAF), the outer marker (OM) or an equivalent fix (as applicable) should constitute an assessment gate to confirm the readiness to proceed further; this assessment should include the following:
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Visibility or RVR (and ceiling, as appropriate):

°. better than or equal to applicable minimums;

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Aircraft readiness:

°. position, altitude, configuration and energy; and,

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