A common misunderstanding I have seen from IFR students is the concept
that transition to visual begins at the MAP. MAP is where the missed
approach begins; it is not where the visual segment begins. You should
be in visual well prior to the MAP, otherwise a normal descent and
landing may not be possible. This is why some approaches designate a
VDP (Visual Descent Point), a point from where you can make a 3-deg
descent to the runway.

Aspen is not the only example. There are plenty of examples where the
MAP is on top of the runway (or even past the runway), so a straight-in
landing is clearly not possible from that point.



SimGuy wrote:
The plate is here-

http://www.airnav.com/depart?http://.../05889VDGC.PDF

While trying to fly the approach in the sim I flew to the MAP with
relative ease but had trouble getting low enough to make the runway
without getting too hot. Looking at the plate it seems a drop of 2380'
must be made between MAFMU and the runway in a lateral distance of
1.4NM, this is a descent angle of 15 degrees!

Could someone please confirm this or help with my interpretation of
the chart. I am a PP beginning instrument training.

TIA