 first approach in IMC
Bob Gardner wrote:
> Never descend until you feel comfortable about your location. You can always
> ask for delay vectors or just plain ask to stay (relatively) high until you
> feel comfortable. Just because ATC says "Descend and maintain...." does not
> mean that you have to obey without question.
I asked my CFI about descending when cleared for an approach. He said
exactly what you said. Calculate your 500 fpm descent to arrive at
the crossing altitude a few miles before you reach the fix. I did this
on my checkride and got a compliment over it from the DE. He said he's
used to students descending immediately even though they could be far
far away from the fix. I gotta thank my friend Mark who flies for UA
as he gave me a good way of briefing for this using the MSA.
>Use this sparingly, however,
> lest you be vectored 20 miles away while everyone else shoots the approach.
> Bob Gardner
especially considering it was into HWD which is right underneath and
overlapping the approach paths for OAK.
Gerald |