BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE ...

AFMAN 11-217V1 3 JANUARY 2005 335
Chapter 15
LANDING FROM INSTRUMENT APPROACHES
15.1. Planning the Approach and Landing.
15.1.1. Begin Before Flight. A successful approach and landing in marginal weather
conditions requires considerable planning, which should begin before the flight.
Checking the forecast weather, winds, NOTAMs, and runway conditions at your
destination and alternate will normally help you determine the runway and type of
approach that is likely to be used. A study of the instrument approach procedure for the
destination airport will show the approach as well as the runway layout, obstructions,
type of lighting installed, and minimum data.
15.1.2. Mental Picture. When planning, try to form a mental picture of the airfield
layout as well as the location of prominent landmarks. Be familiar with the types of
lighting installed on the landing runway. This means knowing more than just the type of
lighting system installed. A picture of what the lighting system looks like should be
firmly implanted in your mind. When viewing only a part of the lighting system, you
should be able to determine aircraft position relative to the runway. Note the distance to
the airfield from available NAVAIDs in the immediate area. There is no substitute for
proper and thorough planning as this will help prepare you for the transition from
instrument to visual conditions.
15.2. Transitioning From Instrument to Visual Flight Conditions. The transition from
instrument to visual flight conditions varies with each approach. Pilots seldom experience a
distinct transition from instrument to visual conditions during an approach in obscured
weather. Obscured conditions present you with a number of problems not encountered
during an approach that is either hooded or has a cloud base ceiling. At the point where the
hood is pulled or the aircraft breaks out below the ceiling, the visual cues used to control the
aircraft are usually clear and distinct, and there is instantaneous recognition of the position of
the aircraft in relation to the runway. With obscured ceilings or partially obscured
conditions, the reverse is usually true; visual cues are indistinct and easily lost, and it is
difficult to discern aircraft position laterally and vertically in relation to the runway.
Consider every factor that might have a bearing on the final stages of an approach and
landing. The visibility, type of weather, expected visual cues, and even crew procedures and
coordination are some of the tangibles requiring careful consideration. Preparation and
understanding are the keys that will make the transition smooth and precise. Only through a
thorough understanding of the weather environment and how it affects the availability and
use of visual cues will you be prepared to transition safely and routinely. The following
information deals with some of the conditions you may encounter during this phase of flight.
15.2.1. Straight-In. When flying a straight-in approach in VMC, the pilot has almost
unlimited peripheral visual cues available for depth perception, vertical positioning, and
motion sensing. Even so, varying length and width of unfamiliar runways can lead to
erroneous perception of aircraft height above the runway surface. A relatively wide
runway may give the illusion that the aircraft is below a normal glide path; conversely, a