פורסם עם: General Aviation
APPROACH PATH AWARENESS
While studying the features of an airport to which you have planned a cross-country, or examining the amenities of your home field, you observe that one or more runways are served by approach slope indicator systems. These systems offer a pilot flying the final approach the added dimension of vertical guidance to a safe touchdown. See the June 13, 2003, "Training Tip: Glidepath Guidance."
Make it your business to become thoroughly familiar with how to use vertical guidance systems—and to know where they're available. At certain times, such as during deteriorating weather or a night landing, vertical aid can provide a big boost to safety. In conditions of calm winds, choose a runway served by a vertical guidance system at a nontowered airport. "A safe bet is to plan a steep approach, within your skills and your airplane's capabilities, to grant you extra assurance that you have a clear path down. If you have a choice of runways, pick one with a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) or precision approach path indicator (PAPI), some kind of illuminated tool to help you determine the glide path," wrote Julie K. Boatman in the March 2004 AOPA Pilot feature "Black Holes! ." Even at a towered airport, you may have that option if the controller clears you to land and says, "Wind calm, your choice of runways." Seize the opportunity—especially if the landing must be accomplished at dusk or in darkness.
Some student pilots assume that such technology as vertical guidance systems is only for use by instrument pilots emerging from clouds, or by pilots at a more advanced level of training than applicants for a light sport or private pilot certificate. Not so! Indeed, a longstanding FAA advisory circular recommends that "all student pilots be introduced early in their flight training to the use of any available approach slope indicator, and taught to use it regularly in planning standard, uniform landing approaches."
Clearly then, your knowledge of vertical guidance systems could be the subject of oral quizzing on a flight test. And surely your designated examiner will observe whether you are attempting to remain at or above the approach path of any VASI- or PAPI-equipped runways on which you may be asked to land.