Help with GPS (RNAV) approaches

[CpnCrunch]

Every simulator PPC I have ever done all approaches were at the same airport. I would question the instructor on where this idea came from.

I talked to the examiner who this information came from, and he confirms this. Here is what the examiner's guide says for the instrument rating:

"The candidate will normally perform two different approaches on different approach facilities, where they are available"

According to this examiner, TC (at least here) interprets this as being two different airports, and they want you to do the two approaches at different airports unless it would be difficult to do that. I don't know if PPCs use the same manual, so this might not apply to them. But I would be surprised if you were able to do a regular IPC all at one airport in Pacific region.

Of course like most things this can be interpreted in various ways. Do "facilities" mean different airports? Does "normally" mean you have to? But it's probably just easier to do what TC wants rather than arguing with your examiner.

[photofly]

First rule of all flight tests: never argue with the examiner. About anything. But in my case the examiner has always been very happy with my choice of approaches, at the same airport. If he wanted somewhere else - no problem, we’ll go there.

My interpretation of different facilities (which as usual is worth nothing) doesn’t extend to different airports: if that was intended, it would say “different airports”. Fewer letters, less ink, easier to read. It suggests to me that you should not, for instance, perform a localizer and an ILS approach to the same runway.

Like almost everything that comes out of TC, there are a lot of ways to read it.

[photofly]

How does baro altitude help with RAIM availability?!

I believe the GPS unit needs VNAV ability?

Not to improve RAIM availability, no. My 1998 GPS is baro-aided but offers no vertical guidance at all.

[Aviatard]

I talked to the examiner who this information came from, and he confirms this. Here is what the examiner's guide says for the instrument rating:

"The candidate will normally perform two different approaches on different approach facilities, where they are available"

According to this examiner, TC (at least here) interprets this as being two different airports, and they want you to do the two approaches at different airports unless it would be difficult to do that.r.

Criteria for the Development of Instrument Procedures (TP308/GPH209) refers to facility as being a ground based navigation aid, and refers to aerodromes separately. I believe the different approach facilities restriction is there to disallow a candidate from doing two ILS approaches in a row to the same runway, for example. You might do an ILS, followed by an NDB approach to the same runway, and still meet the different facilities requirement. Examiners we have used have never had a problem doing all the approaches at the same airport, whether on an initial ride, or a renewal.

I think your examiner is wrong, but what do I know?

[CpnCrunch]

Criteria for the Development of Instrument Procedures (TP308/GPH209) refers to facility as being a ground based navigation aid, and refers to aerodromes separately. I believe the different approach facilities restriction is there to disallow a candidate from doing two ILS approaches in a row to the same runway, for example. You might do an ILS, followed by an NDB approach to the same runway, and still meet the different facilities requirement. Examiners we have used have never had a problem doing all the approaches at the same airport, whether on an initial ride, or a renewal.

I think your examiner is wrong, but what do I know?

That would be my interpretation as well, and it's probably the examiner's interpretation. However this came to him from TC. That's how they expect him to conduct his flight tests, so that's what he does. I was also discussing another very strange interpretation from TC with him that has him baffled.