Pilot Monitered Approaches

3enginejock

Well-Known Member
Shared/Monitored Approach

Description

A shared or monitored approach is a specific procedure for pilot task sharing designed to facilitate the safe transition from instrument to visual flying during an instrument approach.

Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Approach-and-landing Accident Reduction (ALAR) Briefing Note 7.3 — Visual References summarises the operating policy as follows:

"Regardless of who was the PF for the sector, the FO is always the PF for the approach;
"The CAPT is PNF and monitors the approach and the acquisition of visual references;
"Before or upon reaching the DA(H), depending on the company’s policy:
If visual references are acquired, the CAPT calls “landing,” takes over the controls and lands; or,
If visual references are not acquired, the CAPT calls “go-around,” and the FO initiates the go-around and flies the missed approach.
"Whatever the decision, landing or go-around, the FO maintains instrument references for the complete approach and landing (or go-around and missed approach).

"Depending on the FO’s experience, the above roles can be reversed.

"This operating policy minimizes the problem of transitioning from instrument flying to visual flying and, in a go-around, the problem of resuming instrument flying. Nevertheless, this operating policy involves a change of controls (i.e., PF/PNF change) and requires the development of appropriate SOPs and standard calls.

"Depending on the company’s operating philosophy, this technique is applicable to:
CAT II/CAT III approaches only (for all other approaches, the PF is also the pilot landing); or,
All types of approaches (except automatic landings where the CAPT resumes control earlier, typically from 1,000 feet radio altitude to 200 feet radio altitude)."

The briefing note continues with a discussion of the implementation of the monitored approach procedure, including pilot actions, standard calls, recovery from a deviation and loss of visual references after DA/H or MDA/H.

A foreign pilot friend of mine sent me this today after we had a discussion about monitered approaches. I had never heard of the concept up until now but apperantly Flight Safety supports it. I don't think exchanging controls at minimums is safe but I guess other countries use this method frequently. Any thoughts?
 
We do those at Expressjet East any time the RVR is below 4000RVR. It kind of sucks as an FO getting boinked out of a landing, but it is what it is. When vis gets really low I think it's a good idea. One guy can concentrate on flying the approach (while of course being monitored) and below 1,000ft the Captains main purpose is to find the runway.

I think 4000RVR might be a little high for shooting one, but during cat II approaches it really makes sense.

I have heard the FAA suggested that FOs be able to be the one who looks out the window if it is the other guys leg, but nothing has come of it. Their concern is that your first time landing a plane below 4000RVR will be after they upgrade. In my opinion I'd like as many of my "firsts" to happen with someone next to me who has done it before instead of with an F/O who hasn't.
 
Yup, Emu summed it perfectly on how its done at XJT east. Sucked losing a landing but it is very cool to see when you break out at minimums 100 ft off the ground
 
We do monitored approaches at 9E for Cat II operations (plus certain aircrew/aircraft certification required approaches) and it is recommended to consider doing a monitored approach when the visbility is less than 3/4 or 4000 RVR.
 
It is SOP for Cat 2 and 3 and has been as long as I can remember (at least 25 years). For Cat 1, the requirements are more recent.
 
For some reason, we don't do monitored approaches, even for Cat 2/3. CA is PF, F/O is PM. Also sucks losing a landing, especially because I'm thrilled that I got 4 landings this month.
 
Sounds a lot like the BA way!





It appears some confusion exists over the new pilot role titles. This notice will hopefully clear up any misunderstandings.

"The titles Pilot-in-command, Commander, First Officer, Pilot Flying, Pilot-not-flying, P1, P2 and Co-Pilot will now cease to have any meaning, within the BA operations manuals. They are to be replaced by Handling Pilot, Non-Handling Pilot, Handling Landing Pilot, Non-Handling Landing Pilot, Handling Non-Landing Pilot, and Non-Handling Non-Landing Pilot.

"The Landing Pilot is initially the Handling Pilot and will handle the take-off and landing, except in role reversal when he is the Non-Handling Pilot for taxi, until the Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the Handling to the Landing Pilot at eighty knots.

"The Non-Landing (Non-Handling, since the Landing Pilot is handling) Pilot reads the checklist to the Handling Pilot until after the Before Descent Checklist completion, when the Handling Landing Pilot hands the handling to the Non-Handling Non-Landing Pilot who then becomes the Handling Non-Landing Pilot.

"The Landing Pilot is the Non-Handling Pilot until the "decision altitude" call, when the Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the handling to the Non-Handling Landing Pilot, unless the latter calls "go-around", in which case the Handling Non-Landing Pilot, continues handling and the Non-Handling Landing Pilot continues non-handling until the next call of "land" or "go-around", as appropriate.

In view of the recent confusion over these rules, it was deemed necessary to restate them clearly.
 
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