Originally Posted by J Dawg View Post
This is one of the worst procedures at UPS IMHO. Every other place I have worked at, the MDA is set in the MCP crossing the FAF. At UPS procedure is to set the MA altitude after starting down to MDA.... you are now flying away from the selected MCP altitude. If the MDA was set, the altitude would have been captured (considering a/p was on) and this accident most likely would not have happened.
In an effort to be a "step ahead", a valuable error trap is removed with current procedure.
On the MD at UPS, we preselect the MDA/DA and fly towards that altitude until we are visual or reach minimums, then the MA altitude is set. This would be a simple procedure change for the other fleets.
At my airline, on a precision approach, we set the MCP to MA as soon as we have Glideslope capture.
On a nonprecision, we use LNAV/VNAV. We set the MCP for the MDA (or 500' if it's a visual...we can't fly a visual without some sort of electronic glideslope as backup). Once we're past the FAF, and at least 300' below the MA, then we reset the MCP to the MA..sounds like the same thing the UPS crew did.
We basically don't even train to use Vert speed during an approach....about the only time we normally use it on approach is if the controller vectors us to the LOC well above the GS...then we use it to get down to GS capture...