Flight Training - July 2021 - 49

ADVANCED PILOT INSTRUMENT TIP
PUTTING THE BRIEF
IN BRIEFING
TIPS FOR APPROACH PLATE BRIEFINGS
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
mation. Ultimately we're most concerned
that it's the right approach, how we get
to the runway, how low we can go, what
happens if we go missed, and what happens
in an emergency. I've since evolved
from that list to thinking of plates as I do
other charts. Sectional charts give us layers
of information, including topography,
manmade physical structures, navigation,
and airspace and other rules. Plates are
similar. The information can be explored
in layers or stages.
THROUGH MANY YEARS OF MY INSTRUMENT
flying, approach plate briefings were
regurgitations of the entire piece of
paper, a flawed exercise meant to seek
total and complete understanding.
Even at the time it seemed excessive
and counterintuitive, but it's how I was
taught. There is a better way.
Instrument approach procedure
charts are little powerhouses of information.
They are packed with maps and
diagrams in at least five forms, include
multiple frequencies, and are a guide
for normal, abnormal, and emergency
operations. That's a lot to ask of such a
small piece of paper. To become familiar
with the information and make sure
the procedure is flown properly, we're
trained to brief the approach. Like many
pilots, I was taught to brief the entire
thing. It was like story time for my kids.
I would start at the top and read out the
entire plate. It wasn't until training to
become an instrument flight instructor
that someone showed me a better way.
Rather than taking the plate as one
solid story, the instructor encouraged me
to focus on only the most important inforPRE-APPROACH
Once
ATC assigns or you request a
procedure, get to work immediately
preparing yourself and the aircraft. Pull
out the paper or call it up on your tablet.
Always confirm that you have the right
one. Read it off the top of the plate and
say it aloud. " We're doing the ILS 23 to
Frederick. " Then start the set-up.
Plates have a bunch of information
that can be used in a checklist/do list
scenario well in advance of hitting the
final approach fix. Unless someone
has really bungled it up, you should
have time at least 20 or 30 miles out to
set up communication and navigation
frequencies, set up the approach, verify
the weather, double check the landing
distance, runway lights, and where you
expect to turn off and park. Set all this
up in your navigators and radios as a do
list, and then run it as a checklist. Start
at the top of the plate and verify that
the tower or common traffic advisory
frequency is standby in your primary
radio, the final approach frequency is
your active, and ground is active in your
second radio. Verify the navigation is all
correct, including anything you'll need
for step-down fixes, and that the GPS
and nav are synced and in the correct
mode. Verify headings are correct and
you're on the feeder you expect and
how you'll intercept the final approach
course. This is the checklist stage.
With that part of the approach already
handled, much of the plate becomes
extraneous information and not part of
any briefing. At this point maybe you're
cruising along a few miles from intercepting
the final approach course and you
have a minute to relax as you wait. This is
a good time to do the briefing.
Keep this part short because most
of us can't remember anything beyond
seven items, and in a high workload
AOPA.ORG/FT
49
MIKE FIZER
http://www.AOPA.ORG/FT
Flight Training - July 2021

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