ATC Basics: Approaches - IAP Chart Layout

What is indicated by the top & bottom of the margin information?

1. Airport location

2. Procedure identification

3. Airport coordinates

How are civil approach plates organized?

City, airport name, state

How are military approaches organized?

Airport name first

What do letters in the beginning of the alphabet that are used as a suffix to the approach name denote?

Procedures that do NOT meet the criteria for a straight-in approach (circling approach)

What is the angle or required descent gradient that the final approach must be aligned with to be considered straight?

30 degrees or greater than 400FPNM (from the FAF to the TCH aka threshold crossing height)

What do letters in the end of the alphabet that are used as a suffix to the approach name denote?

Approaches to the same runway using the same approach aid (newer approaches will be later in the alphabet)

What section of the IAP chart provides the pilot with information required to execute the published approach procedure & is located at the top of the chart?

Pilot briefing

What 4 pieces of information can be found in the upper left hand 4 boxes of a pilot briefing?

1. NAVAID providing approach guidance

2. NAVAID’s frequency

3. Final approach course

4. Runway information

What order are the frequencies listed in on the pilot briefing information?

In order of use

What 6 pieces of information does the textbook highlight of the pilot briefing section?

1. Localizer information

2. Approach course

3. Available landing distance

4. Runway environment elevations

5. Notes & limitations

6. Text descriptions of missed approach

What part of a IAP chart provides a graphical overhead view of a procedure?

Planview

What are the two main pieces of information are included in the planview?

1. Navigation frequency information

2. Localizer location

What does this symbol indicate in an IAP?

Missed approach

What does a wide X symbol indicate that’s before the missed approach?

Runway

What do these symbols indicate on an IAP?

Marker beacons (middle comes first)

How is the initial approach frequency shown in a IAP chart?

The words IAP above the communication box

How is the initial approach fix shown on an IAP chart?

(IAF)

What does noPT mean on an IAP chart?

No procedure turn

Why would the reciprocal course to the inbound be shown on an IAP?

Reciprocal indicates where pilots go without control instructions (aka procedure turn)

What does this symbol indicate on an IAP chart?

Published holding pattern for missed approach

What does this symbol indicate on an IAP chart?

MSA (minimum safe altitudes)

What do the following abbreviations mean:

1. MSA

2. FPNM

3. TAA

1. Minimum safe altitude

2. Feet per nautical mile

3. Terminal arrival area

What is the emergency altitude to be used within 25 nautical miles of the NAVAID upon which the approach is predicated but does not ensure NAVAID frequency reception?

MSA (minimum safe altitude)

What is the radius of a MSA’s applicability?

25nm

What replaces the MSA (minimum safe altitude) & provides minimum altitudes with standard obstacle clearance depending upon the direction from which the aircraft is arriving?

TAA (terminal arrival area)

What’s the radius of a TAA, based on the IAF?

30 miles

What do the arc boundaries of the TAA allow aircraft to do?

Transition from the en route structure direct to the nearest IAF (eliminates feeder routes, departure extensions, and procedure turns)

What parts of an approach is a basic T design meant to align? (3 things)

1. Runway centerline with MAP

2. The FAF 5nm from the threshold

3. IF 5nm from the FAF

Where are the 2IAFs located on the basic T design?

3-6nm on either side & approximately 90 degrees to the final approach course

If the IF is also designated an IAF, what does that mean for the approach?

Straight-in approach

When an IF is not designated an IAF, what does that mean for the approach?

The straight-in procedure cannot be used due to terrain/airspace considerations

What will TAAs describe if it’s not the routes of flight?

A volume of airspace within which an aircraft proceeds inbound from the 30nm arc boundary toward an appropriate IAF

What part of an IAP chart gives detailed information about the layout of the airport?

Airport diagram

What 6 types of information is included on an airport diagram?

1. Airport elevation

2. Touchdown zone elevation

3. Displaced threshold

4. Obstructions

5. Runway lights available

6. FAF distance & time/speed table

What does this symbol indicate on an IAP?

Displaced threshold

What has a visual depiction of the instruments for conducting the missed approach procedure?

Missed approach icons

What part of the IAP chart are the missed approach icons a part of?

Profile view

What part of the IAP chart includes the missed approach icons and shows a side view of the IAP?

Profile view

If an approach is non-precision, what’s the term to indicate the lowest altitude at which a pilot has to make a decision about landing?

Minimum descent altitude

If an approach is precision, what’s the term to indicate the lowest altitude at which a pilot has to make a decision about landing?

Decision altitude

If the approach is precision, what 5 things are included in the profile view?

1. Missed approach icons

2. LOM’s glideslope attitude (LOM = locator outer marker)

3. FAF

4. IAP courses

5. Minimum procedure turn altitude (number underlined)

What does this symbol indicate in the profile view of an IAP chart?

FAF when flown as a full ILS approach

What does this symbol indicate in the profile view of an IAP chart?

FAF when flown as a localizer approach

What section of the IAP chart consists of minimum parameters on certain aspects when landing, like ceiling height, distances, and weather?

Precision minimums section

What are the 2 primary data types of the minimums section?

1. Aircraft approach categories (determined according to landing speed at maximum certified gross landing weight)

2. Variations of the approach procedure (straight-in, localizer, and circling)

What is the lowest altitude, in MSL, to which descent is authorized on final approach or during circle-to-land maneuvering in execution of an IAP where no electronic glideslope is provided?

MDA (minimum descent altitude)

What height is used for localizer approach when runway is known?

HAT (height of MDA above touchdown zone)

What height is used for straight-in approach only because the landing runway is known?

Height of DA above touchdown zone (HAT)

What height is used for the circling version because the runway is not known?

HAA (height of MDA above airport)

What type of approach authorizes a pilot to proceed visually and cleared of clouds to the airport while operating on an IFR flight plan?

Visual approach

What are the 3 conditions for a visual approach?

1. Pilot must always see the runway or preceding aircraft

2. Approach must be authorized

3. Weather must be VFR conditions

For a visual approach to be executed with traffic, what are the 3 requirements?

1. Airport ceiling must be 500ft above the minimum vectoring altitude & VFR conditions

2. Controller must initiate or pilot must request

3. Pilot sees & follows preceding traffic

Whose responsibility is separation between a plane & its preceding traffic once a visual approach is confirmed?

Pilot

What type of approach is where an aircraft on an IFR flight plan may deviate from the instrument approach procedure & proceed to the destination airport by visual reference to the surface?

Contact approach

What are the 3 conditions of a contact approach?

1. Have ATC authorization

2. Operate clear of clouds with at least 1SM visibility

3. Reasonable expectation of continuing to the airport in these conditions

Who initializes a contact approach?

Pilot request

What procedures are established for environmental/noise considerations?

Charted Visual Flight Procedures (CVFP)

Who are CVFP primarily designed for?

Turbojets

What are the 2 conditions for charted visual flight procedures?

1. Only used at airports with a control tower

2. Begins within 20nm from airport