Originally Posted by
twin angel
Ladies and Gents, when flying an RNAV (GPS/GNSS) Approach with LNAV/VNAV minimums do you push the APPROACH MODE of your flight guidance system?
For the 777, 767, 757, 737, MD-10, MD-11 and I'm pretty sure the A320, the answer is "no".
On those aircraft (as equipped when I flew them or fly them now), the approach mode is used exclusively when flying an ILS.
An RNAV approach uses FMS programmed routing which is tracked by using LNAV (or "NAV" mode in some aircraft). Vertical constraints at specific waypoints are also entered in the FMS and vertical control using those constraints during the approach is accomplished using VNAV (or "PROF" mode in some aircraft). So, "Approach" mode is never engaged and the entire RNAV is flown using LNAV/VNAV or NAV/PROF.