Brief an approach

Are there any good online references on how to brief an approach? If so, can
you point me in the right direction? Thanks...


-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or North
American*

Gene's site always has some good info...

http://www.whittsflying.com/Pageg12%...tm#anchor47781



"Ditch" wrote in message
...
Are there any good online references on how to brief an approach? If so,
can
you point me in the right direction? Thanks...


-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or
North
American*

Ditch,

I don't know that there's any one way or some magic to brief an approach
plate. Every approach is unique.

I know the first thing my instructor taught me to look at is the Name of the
airport and the type of approach.

From there I look at what I need to do in the order I'm going to do it.

What's the ATIS/ASOS freq.?
What's the final approach controller's freq.?
What is the altitude and course at the IAF and how will I ID it and what is
the freq?
How will I ID the FAF and what is the course, altitude and freq.?
What is the Tower or CTAF Freq and how will I turn on the lights?
What is the MDA or DH?
What is the time on the approach?
How will I ID the MAP?
What is the missed approach procedure and how should I set my radios up to
fly it and when can I do that?
What's the ground freq. if any?
How will my IFR flight plan be closed?

If you learn some secret pneumonic or rhyme please share it.

Kobra



"Ditch" wrote in message
...
Are there any good online references on how to brief an approach? If so,
can
you point me in the right direction? Thanks...


-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or
North
American*

Ditch wrote:
Are there any good online references on how to brief an approach? If so,
can
you point me in the right direction? Thanks...

One thing I took away from my American Flyers experience was: "How low, how
long, which way?" Kinda summarizes the important stuff at the end. Of
course, there's a ton that comes before this, but you are never left
thinking about the MAP or missed procedure.

Hilton

I adapted the new NOS plate format (which was copied from Jepp), and have
that on my personal briefing form (see previous thread). Then I talk to
myself as I copy the info from the plate onto my form. The process of
copying and talking helps me imbed it in my little chunk of grey matter.
Works for me so far.

"Ditch" wrote in message
...
Are there any good online references on how to brief an approach? If so,
can
you point me in the right direction? Thanks...


-John
*You are nothing until you have flown a Douglas, Lockheed, Grumman or
North
American*

Maule Driver wrote:

I adapted the new NOS plate format (which was copied from Jepp), and have
that on my personal briefing form (see previous thread).

For historical accuracy, NACO (formerly NOS) did not copy that format from
Jeppesen. The briefing strip format was developed by a Mr. Volpe of the Dept
of Transportation (not the FAA) with the help of some industry gurus.

Jeppesen then adopted the Volpe Format, followed by NACO a couple or three
years later.

In article ,
ost (Ditch) wrote:

Are there any good online references on how to brief an approach? If so, can
you point me in the right direction? Thanks...

Briefing routine information becomes a litany that no one hears or
remembers.

First make sure of the approach ID and date, then note any non-routine
information.

Set all radios, courses and altitudes that can be set ahead of time.

Go over altitudes to FAF with special emphasis on the FAF or OM crossing
altitude. Without that xcheck, you are only good for non-precision. Note
any step downs. MDA, DH and time to miss, initial miss heading and first
altitude.

All the other info is on the plate and can be referred to as needed. Any
transcriptions you make to another document just add the chance of error.

--
Ron

Here is what I use..it is loose enough that you can modify it make it your own
but it works for me. It is kind of a briefing/set-up for the approac guide:
Acronym: "A MICE ATM"

A: Atis, Altimeter and approach
M: marker beacon (pins and sensitivity)
I: ID navaids
C: Course..briefed and set
E: Entry..brief PT and any set up needed
A: Altitudes. Also brief callouts expected
T: Times (if a timed approach)
M: Missed (brief and set up in standby avionics)

may sound kind of daunting but it is pretty user friendly and I have shared it
with several other people who seemed to find it useful. Your mileage may vary

For approaches I use WestCoastRailRoad
Weather, Clearance, Radios, and Review. I'll admit its a bit short of
being exhaustive. I also have an IFR checklist in the plane for
takeoff, cruise, arrival and approach phases. It IS exhaustive. As for
my clearance, everything goes into a radio or instrument. Frequecies
go into the radios, altitudes go into the altitude bug and headings go
into the heading bug and waypoints go into the GPS. Not a bad idea to
write them down also, but so long as my radios work, I can always ask.
The reality is I just keep a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" (half) pad of paper and a
few pens in the plane and write down what I need on that. One of the
things I do have is a business card sized flight plan form, I use it
all the time so I have all the info to give flight service. All I
really need to jot down is my takeoff time and enroute time that I
gave him when I filed (well, ok, my destination, but I usually do know
that). Works great and I dont have to bring any paperwork into the
FBO, just my wallet, which I always have.

It all depends on how exhaustive and organized YOU want to be. Do you
want to emulate the airlines, or just fly around with minimum hassle?
Or somewhere in between? I only file IFR if I need to, to get where I
am going. Some file IFR all the time.

So my suggestion, memorize an anacronym, get several 1/2 size
notepads, some pens or pencils, and business card flight plan form,
and you have the minimum necessary.

I gotta get me one of them "anacronyms". :-)
Seriously, though, filing IFR whether needed or not is good training.
Pretty soon you'll find you no longer need mnemonics and acronyms.
Maybe you'll need only a place to record clearances and amendments.
---JRC---

"Doug" wrote in message =
om...
For approaches I use WestCoastRailRoad
Weather, Clearance, Radios, and Review. I'll admit its a bit short of
being exhaustive. I also have an IFR checklist in the plane for
takeoff, cruise, arrival and approach phases. It IS exhaustive. As for
my clearance, everything goes into a radio or instrument. Frequecies
go into the radios, altitudes go into the altitude bug and headings go
into the heading bug and waypoints go into the GPS. Not a bad idea to
write them down also, but so long as my radios work, I can always ask.
The reality is I just keep a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" (half) pad of paper and a
few pens in the plane and write down what I need on that. One of the
things I do have is a business card sized flight plan form, I use it
all the time so I have all the info to give flight service. All I
really need to jot down is my takeoff time and enroute time that I
gave him when I filed (well, ok, my destination, but I usually do know
that). Works great and I dont have to bring any paperwork into the
FBO, just my wallet, which I always have.
=20
It all depends on how exhaustive and organized YOU want to be. Do you
want to emulate the airlines, or just fly around with minimum hassle?
Or somewhere in between? I only file IFR if I need to, to get where I
am going. Some file IFR all the time.
=20
So my suggestion, memorize an anacronym, get several 1/2 size
notepads, some pens or pencils, and business card flight plan form,
and you have the minimum necessary.