Airline Pilot Central Forums - IFR checkride next week

Quote:

Originally Posted by PearlPilot (Post 918215)

Thank you very much again for the great advice!! i just read on an FAAsafety course that a missed approach must be started when:
* The aircraft is being operated below MDA;
* Upon arrival at the MAP; or
* Whenever an identifiable part of the airport is not distinctly visible when circling.

Let's assume that on a VOR-A approach, I level off at MDA and dip below MDA. I recognize this right away and instead of trying to get back to MDA I tell the examiner, I just dipped below MDA I am going to execute the missed. That is, I fly to the MAP and make the turn and climb etc...Would this cause me to still save the checkride or would dipping below the MDA (regardless of the fact I recognized it and execute the missed) cause me to fail? Thanks!

It depends on the circumstances. Was it due to turbulence that you couldn't plan for? Was it due to your own skills or inattention? It's the same thing with navs and cdi deflection. Did it go more than 3/4 due to your skills, or was a situation that couldn't be reasonably anticipated and you went missed? As said above, it's best to not actually fly exactly at MDA, since it's not really possible to keep an exact altitude. If you're setting yourself up for failure, it's probably due to a few things, such as attempting to level off and stay exactly at mda, inattention to the instruments, improper power settings/not bringing power back up, not resetting pitch and trim, etc. This is likely to manifest itself in many other flight realms and not just be an issue at the MDA of an approach. If that's the case though, an MDA bust is probably going to cause the checkride to be failed. Usually the bigger picture is taken into account, even though MDA standards are pretty specific, but the circumstances are always important. The best answer to your question is "why did I dip below?". Depending on the circumstances, it can be fine, or it can be a bust.