Vdp
 

WHen calculating VDP. The number you get for distance is it

-the distance is from runway or MAP that you calculate
same with the time - you just subtract it from the time for mFAF to MAP correct?

This topic has already been talked about in great depth by some of our resident experts. Try the search button in the future.

http://forums.airlinepilotcentral.co...ighlight=climb

Man your fast....I ws just searching that thread!

A note about the search feature for all: "VDP" is too short of a search phrase for the database to seach - so use the full phrase "visual decent point".

On the topic, know the difference between a charted VDP and a PDP (planned decent point). Both are calculated, and used the same way - but one is charted and one is not.


EDIT: here is a different thread than Kilo Alpha posted on VDP/PDP: http://forums.airlinepilotcentral.co...ead.php?t=1439

VDP, SHMEDP. Keep it simple, look at the runway and land on it.

(Rather than retype this, I'll just paste my post from the above-linked thread.)


That's right, because in a "real man's world" there are no visual illusions, and no requirement to be smart.






(Sr. Barco had a similar comment on the thread HSLD hyperlinked - - I guess there's one in every crowd. :)


:rolleyes:




.

Or said another way.... Just because regulations and procedures are written in blood - I'm invincible and these rules don't apply. :confused:

off your high horse guys. All I am saying the easiest thing in our world of aviation to do is a visual approach. It can become a chore if you make it harder than it is.
I have never believed i am invicible, and for you to think that by my comments are funny.
It is just my opinion on the easiest thing we can do as pilots, just my 2 cents, don't take personal, deep breath, cool blue water cool blue water, it will be OK.
Good luck

Id have to side with this guy though because other then interview purposes I have never used the vdp calculations. I even had this one guy started calculating a VDP on a visual while i was flying only to come up with the same answer that I knew miles ago when I saw the vasi! Yes I agree we should all know our regs and procedures by heart and follow them to the best of our abilities, there is an aire of common sense that should apply to all of this as well. So if you all are really on flying the line, how often do you really use VDP calculations? My personal answer..... none!

Visual illusions
 

Some approaches, like landing to the west in Las Vegas, create the illusion that you are extremely high. An altitude/distance checkpoint or two is well worth the trouble. VASIs and glide slopes can be out of service.

Hmmm. Actually brand-new jet FO's frequently get their @ss kicked by the visual. lnstrument approaches are cookie-cutter and well rehearsed in the sim, with wide vectors and miles of spacing provided. On the visual, ANYTHING can happen, and it happens so fast that any error in judgement will put you high, fast, misconfigured, and/or through YOUR final and into the parallel final being used by that 767...oops.

Any visual planning techniques are handy to have in your hip pocket.

Yeah but that'll take time away from reading the USA today or even worse my psp. (yeah right you know I cant afford one of those.)

But seriously rick thanks for posting some since up here. As new of a pilot as I am I still like to keep it old school. It only took me one leg to relize the flight director and fms won't do everything for you.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, HOWEVER:
A VDP (or PDP) is mostly used on an INSTRUMENT approach, no?
If you are doing a non-precision approach, you might want to know how close you can be to the runway, and start down (once you see it: i.e. Visual Descent Point) without overshooting it, and having a "stabilized approach".
Simply put, you wouldn't want to start down from your MDA once you see the runway AFTER the VDP (PDP), because then you might be "diving" for the runway (unstabilized). Better off staying at the MDA til the MAP, then try again, or go somewhere else.

Actually just looked at The AIM.
Too long to qutoe some stuff, but look at Chapt. 5-4-5 under VDP, and also pilot considerations for non-precision approaches.

Vdp calculated from the runway threshold by assuming a tch of 50' and working backwards...and ensuring all altitude restrictions on the profile are met...allows for a constant path descent on approaches with many steps..my carrier adds 50' to the mda when calculating a vdp..the vdp then becomes MDA and MAP at the same point published MAP is often much too close to continue to touchdown in a stabilized fashion within the TDZ...

Canpa Canpa Canpa

CANPA rules!!! dive-drives are a thing of the past