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In Flight Access to Minimum Vectoring Altitudes-A Pilot's Perspective
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Abstract
Well-designed systems require a certain measure of redundancy if they are to function acceptably during occurrences of partial failure or abnormality.
In the National Airspace System (NAS) of the United States, there currently exists a dangerous and unacceptable lack of redundancy: the inability of flightcrews operating under radar control in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and according to instrument flight rules (IFR) to verify the propriety of radar vector assignments issued to them by groundbased air traffic controllers.
The problem has three dimensions: (1) the criteria used by the FAA in the formulation of minimum vectoring altitudes (MVAs) are different from, and generally more permissive than, those used in the determination of the “minimum” IFR altitudes portrayed on aeronautical charts used by pilots; (2) pilots operating in (IMC) are routinely directed away from published routes to which the charted minimum IFR altitudes apply; and (3) pilots presently have no accurate, independent, and timely inflight method of efficiently determining the MVAs applicable to their particular flight path, so many attempt to substitute other procedurally derived (but operationally inapplicable) altitudes in lieu of proper MVA information.
The practice of substituting inappropriate minimum altitude information for applicable MVAs will be examined, along with the writer's suggestion that the FAA's planned Hode-S Beacon System be evaluated as a candidate medium for providing timely, cost-effective, and off-published-route MVA information to pilots of all types of aircraft.
Authors
Citation
McCormick, J., "In Flight Access to Minimum Vectoring Altitudes-A Pilot's Perspective," SAE Technical Paper 851837, 1985, https://doi.org/10.4271/851837.Also In
References
- CAB (Civil Aeronautics Board) Aircraft Accident Report Trans World Airlines, Inc., Lockheed 1Q59A, N 6902C, and United Air Lines, Inc., Douglas BC-7, N6324C, Grand Canyon, Arizona June 30 1956
- VFR weather minimums are contained in FAR 91-105
- Supra . CAB Aircraft Accident Report, File Ho. 1-0090, SA-320 June 30 1956 24 25
- Civil Aeronautics Board Aircraft Accident Report United Air Lines, Inc., PC-7, 6328C, and United States Air Force F-100F, 56-3655, Collision, Hear Las Vegas, Nevada April 21 1958
- Ibid . 4
- Ibid . 21
- “Positive Control” means control of all. air traffic, within designated airspace, by air traffic control (FAR 1.1)
- “Published Route-A route for which an IFR altitude has been established and published.” (Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- “ICAO-Radar Vectoring-Provision of navigation guidance to aircraft in the form of specific headings, based on the use of radar.”
- The complete geographical coordinates for DMAs are listed in FAR Part 95 “IFR Altitudes”
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Trans World Airlines, Inc. B-727-231, N54328, Berryville, VA Report No. NTSB-AAR-75-16 December 1 1974 36
- Ibid
- Ibid . 39 40
- Ibid . 40
- Ibid . 12
- Ibid . 18
- NTSB Jet Avia, Ltd. Learjet, LR-24B, N12MK, Palm Springs, CA Report No. NTSB-AAR-77-B January 6 1977 15
- FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) United States Standard for Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS ) Washington, B.C. Author July 7 1976
- Supra . Report No. NTSB-AAR-77-8 January 6 1977 1
- Ibid . 11
- FAR 91.79(a), 91.79(c), 91.79(d)
- “Basic VFR weather minimuras.”
- Supra., U.S. TERPS Handbook
- Ibid . FAA AIM
- FAA Air Traffic Control Handbook , Washington, D.C. Author January 21 1982
- Supra . FAA AIM
- Supra . FAA AIM
- Supra . FAA AIM
- “Compliance with ATC clearances and instructions.”
- FAA Flight Procedures and Airspace Handbook Washington, D.C. Author February 16 1970
- Ibid .
- Ibid .
- NTSB King Aero Service Cessna-152, N24257, Chatsworth, CA April 15 1978
- USDC (United States District Court) Case No. CV-79-1275-R Central District of California Los Angeles 1979
- Supra. U.S. TERPS Handbook ,
- Ibid .
- The BUR TRACON MVA chart in use during April 1977 could not be obtained, since it is the facility's policy not to retain obsolete MVA charts. However, the author's best information is that the current chart (Figure 1.) is substantially similar to that in use during the referenced aircraft accident. Additionally, the MSAs shown in Figure 3. are also current, so a valid comparison between contemporaneous MVAs and MSAs may be made by the reader
- “Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command.”
- U.S. Flight Procedures and Airspace Handbook
- “IFR Altitudes” FAA U.S. TERPS Handbook FAA
- Bateman, C. Don “Effects of GPWS on Terminal Area Accidents” Proceedings of the 23rd Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar Flight Safety Foundation, Inc. Arlington, VA April 9-12 1984
- Loomis, James P. Porter, Richard F. The Performance of Warning Systems in Avoiding Controlled-Flight-into-Terrain (CFIT) Accidents Battelle Columbus Laboratories Columbus, OH April 1981
- Supra . FAA AIM
- “Ground proximity warning-glide slope deviation alerting system”
- Battelle Columbus Laboratories “SPECIAL REQUEST HO. 727” Reports Involving CFIT ASRS Office Mountain View, CA December 11 1984 Porter, Richard F. Loomis, James P. An Investigation of Reports of Controlled Flight Toward Terrain Battelle Columbus Laboratories ASRS Office, Mountain View, California under National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Contract No. NAS2-10060 April 6 1981
- ARINC (Aeronautical Radio, Inc.) Specification 424-4 Navigation System Data Base Airlines Electronic Committee, published by ARINC Annapolis, MB November 10 1983
- Larson, George C. “Navigation Databases: The Coming Power in Cockpit Management” Business and Commercial Aviation October 1984
- Feldman, Joan “The Aviation Trust Fund. A Time to Spend” Air Line Pilot Magazine September 1985