Adlerdriver,
Thanks for the link with the chart. He’s usually pretty on target, but I have to disagree with a couple of things.
“Eddie” of Code7700 says:
First, the approach procedure was designed in error. The descent altitude was too low, given the length of the final approach. Second, the approach plate had not been validated by the major air command.
I spoke with Jim Terpstra of Jeppesen at an AFFSA conference several years later. Jim was Jepp’s expert on charting for decades. He confirmed that the procedure was correctly drawn, according to the PANS-OPS edition. He was clear on Eastern Bloc procedures designers frequently used multiple NDBs as a low-cost way of lowering minimums and was allowed under PANS-OPS, since deleted. IIRC, he was miffed that the AF termed the approach wrongly designed; it wasn’t, but was not a design found in the West. It was also a early PANS-OPS Edition, point being you can’t apply today’s standard to an earlier one. He added, in the course of defending suits over the years, Jeppesen reviewed procedures and rarely found errors, as long as they used the design standard the procedure was drawn to. Of course, Jeppesen always says they faithfully print what the host nation charts, they do not guarantee the validity of the design.
He wasn’t surprised at the crew’s, both of the flight and investigation interviewees didn’t understand it. It was unique to the Bloc. We had the money, in the West, to pay for VOR-DME, TACAN and widespread ILSs.
The issue of validation is correct, the regs extant did require MAJCOM review which was ignored in the haste to make Brown’s trip happen. Mission accomplishment over procedure. Now, an O-8 has waive the requirement.
One last thought, the “timing block” is there but timing to MAP is not presented, hence not authorized, just a GS, descent rate and the note, MAP at CV.
Alas, we all now have better knowledge of Eastern Bloc Ops. Before DS, Eastern Bloc AF flights required special training and crew quals. I was handed a flight plan thru the East to Turkey after the bombing started, asked about “Eastern Bloc qual”; “just go, not a problem” said the CP. While true at F330, a divert might have been a challenge.
GF