No Gyro Approach
No-Gyro approaches are required to safely and accurately maneuver the airplane in the event of attitude and heading indicators failure.
Introduction to No Gyro Approach
- No-Gyro approaches are required to safely and accurately maneuver the airplane without the use of the attitude and heading indicators in the event of a failure
- This means horizontal maneuvers must be made in response to ATC instructions on a radar instrument approach
WARNING:
All procedures are GENERALIZED.
Use the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) procedures for specific aircraft performance and limitations.
and/or current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
No Gyro Approach Key Highlights
- No-gyro approaches are radar-assisted instrument approaches used when aircraft heading indicators or gyroscopic instruments are inoperative.
- Air traffic control provides turn instructions based on radar observations to guide aircraft toward the final approach course.
- Pilots execute turns by starting and stopping turns in response to controller commands such as “start turn” and “stop turn.”
- Standard-rate turns are normally expected during no-gyro approach procedures unless otherwise instructed.
- No-gyro approaches require effective communication, situational awareness, and precise aircraft control during instrument conditions.
- Controller workload and radar update timing can affect the precision of no-gyro approach guidance.
- Pilots should advise ATC promptly when gyroscopic or heading instruments fail during instrument operations.
- Limited instrument capability increases workload and emphasizes the importance of partial panel flying proficiency.
- Missed approach procedures remain applicable during no-gyro approaches if landing conditions are not met safely.
- Understanding no-gyro approaches improves emergency preparedness, partial panel proficiency, and overall flight safety.
No-Gyro Approach Procedure
- Comply with the heading and altitude instructions issued by ATC
- Determine the desired rate of descent for the approach
- Begin a descent to MDA when instructed by ATC
- Set power and adjust pitch to establish and maintain the predetermined rate of descent necessary to ensure descending to and maintaining MDA prior to the missed approach point
- Perform the 5 T's
- Time: take the time
- Turn: To track the inbound course
- Twist: Verify that the OBS is set to inbound courses
- Throttle: Maintain 100 KIAS
- Talk: Make required reports
- At 1000' above MDA, callout (over the ICS), "1000 above MDA"
- At 500' above MDA, call out (over the ICS), "500 above MDA," and complete a GUMP check
- At 100' above MDA, callout (over the ICS), "100' above MDA"
- Leveling off at the MDA, set power to maintain altitude and set pitch
- initiate a descent from DA when the runway environment is insight
- Descend no lower than 100' above touchdown zone elevation when referencing the approach light system without seeing the red terminating bars or red side-row bars
- With the runway in sight and at the VDP, or, where no VDP is provide, in a position from which a descent to a landing on the intended runway can be made at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvers, callout (over the ICS) "Runway in Sight, Landing"
- Set power and flaps appropriate for landing
- If no visual reference is in sight, continue to the missed approach point
- At the missed approach point, callout (over the ICS), "Missed approach," and execute a go-around, complying with the published missed approach procedure, or as directed
No-Gyro Airman Certification Standards
No Gyro Approach Conclusion
- Consider actual versus realized performance when doing any performance calculations
- Consider practicing maneuvers on a flight simulator to introduce yourself to maneuvers or knock off rust
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No Gyro Approach References
- Federal Aviation Administration - Pilot/Controller Glossary.
- Instrument Flying Handbook (9-5) Homing