The changing faces of "c" - 2

11.11.2009

Submission:

Well... On initial approach we always had 6s reaction time (look at the reversal chapters). The bank establishment was always a function of the bank angle (5 degrees per second. So this is not really new. The different reaction times are explained with the proximity to terrain and the level of attention in those phases of flight like departure and missed approach. In RNAV the bank establishment is not generally omitted, only in flyby turns. This is also the case if a procedure is not flown auto-coupled, as the flight director will calculate the turn initiation point accordingly to assure the turn actually starts at the required point. So in flyby only the reaction time is required (and that is for the non-coupled case, the autopilot is not known for having any reaction time). In the flyover case however, the bank establishment component is required again.

Beat Zimmermann -Air Navigation Institute - Switzerland