For example, how are you supposed to measure the 2.1nm after crossing the NDB, on the 179deg track?
You are not supposed to measure that. The procedure is called " visual manoevring …", the distances are for information only. The 2.1NM point where you turn downwind is halfway between the east-westerly oriented road and the obstacle ahead and you commence your base turn over the railroad. For category C aircraft it would be the village on the beach and again the railroad. That thing is basically a visual pattern with prescribed ground tracks, just as 90 percent of all visual pattern in Germany that are designed with noise abatement in mind. I can’t see how flying such an approach could be a challenge for a pilot trained in Europe.
Any pilot with a PPL should be able to fly this! IR or not.
Haha. Of the non IR rated pilots I know 90 percent would not know which way to hold that chart, that’s the reality. Nevermind that none of them would know how to set the Avionics the right/best way.
what_next,
I did not know that by definition the distances are for information only, but of course that makes sense. Nevertheless a non IR rated pilot (in a non IR equipped plane) would not even get to the D2.2 point where the visual part starts.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Any pilot with a PPL should be able to fly this! IR or not.
The approach to RW 35 is very simple. I have just flown this approach one week ago, I was told to report when breaking to the right from the ILS
The circling was similar to a normal traffic pattern on a VFR airfield.
I did not know that by definition the distances are for information only, but of course that makes sense. Nevertheless a non IR rated pilot (in a non IR equipped plane) would not even get to the D2.2 point where the visual part starts.
But the non-IR rated pilot is not supposed to fly instrument procedures. I don’t have access to French VFR charts, but I’m sure that a visual approach chart for Le Touquet exists. This one here is part of in instrument approach procedure, either “ILS 13 circling 31” or “NDB 13 circling 31”. A similar approach, but with much more rigidly prescribed ground tracks exists for example in Cannes.
This is the VFR chart for Avignon: https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/Atlas-VAC/PDF_AIPparSSection/VAC/AD/2/1508_AD-2.LFMV.pdf
Eastward circuit.
VFR for Le Touquet: https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/Atlas-VAC/PDF_AIPparSSection/VAC/AD/2/1508_AD-2.LFAT.pdf
But the non-IR rated pilot is not supposed to fly instrument procedures.
Yes, of course. My mistake. That was just an answer to Airborne’s statement that “any pilot IR or not” should be able to fly that approach.
Ok, yes it is a VMC procedure but I didn’t realise the distances were not meant to be adhered to. After all, they are prescribed tracks.
Normally, an ILS followed by a circle to land is flown more or less as you like,so long as you respect the circuit direction and min altitude.
Peter wrote:
For example, how are you supposed to measure the 2.1nm after crossing the NDB, on the 179deg track?
How about using speed and stopwatch?
Emir wrote:
How about using speed and stopwatch?
But only mechanical watches and whizwheels are allowed to do the calculations 
And be sure to obtain the latest winds for calculating your groundspeeds…
The distance indications are not only useful for identifying the turning points, but also for calculating the remaining distance to touchdown. In the Le Touquet example, after passing the beacon with a category A and B aircraft, it will be 2NM plus 3NM outbound and another 3NM for the inbound turn and final. This is 8NM. Good information when operating a complex aircraft that is often configured for landing in steps at fixed distances before touchdown.
