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
