Flight Safety

Originally published in 2008

Approaching Briefing Procedures

• Obtain weather information.
• Confirm the airport, runway and procedure on the chart is correct for the approach.
• Load, identify and (when appropriate) activate the primary navigation facility.
• Load and identify supporting navigation frequencies.
• Set the CDI needles.
• Load communications frequencies.
• Automation: Will you hand-fly, use the flight director or fly a coupled autopilot approach?
• Anticipate your route and altitude to the initial approach fix.
• Anticipate altitude for each segment of the approach.
• Determine what identifies the Final Approach Fix.
• Estimate your expected rate of descent from the FAF inbound.
• Anticipate weather’s effects on your heading, rate of descent and breakout altitude/ distance from the runway.
• Determine the DH/DA/MDA for the approach as you’ll fly it.
• Will you need to activate pilot-controlled lighting, and if so on what frequency?
• Identify the Missed Approach Point.
• Review the missed approach procedure and tune navaids needed for the missed.
• Identify any Visual Descent Point.
• Thoroughly review circling requirements if this will be a circling approach.
• Review any additional notes on the approach chart.
• Review minimum safe altitudes for emergency off-procedure flight.

Source: Aviation Safety 2007