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SWA Safety ALERT RW 23 ILS KBUF

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I'd just like to thank the SWA Pilot Union on notifying us about this.
Wonder why ALPA can't get info out like this in a timely manner. I guess those who are still members, your dues don't cover releasing info like this.
 
I have had it happen twice going into LGA 22 in the last year in the CRJ. Just have to be ready for it and take over the airplane.
 
That can be said for all transport category autopilots.

not true, the 737 autopilot will most definitely capture the GS before being in VOR/LOC. although in this case I don't think it matters, as you pointed out.

If I'm reading this alert correctly, it basically says that your GS could attempt to capture the erroneous signal, giving very strange pitch excursions. so when it captures (before or after VORLOC captures) isn't really relevant if this 'bad' zone corresponds with the VORLOC window.
 
Has happened to me once on the ATR, airplane pitched up quite abruptly as soon as the GS came alive and started climbing for it. Had I not noticed it and disc. the autopilot, it would have easily brought out the stick shaker. It was trimming quickly right before I disconnected it.

Happened once on the CRJ-200 as well. Weird as heck and I didn't understand why it would just randomly do that. Both times into ATL.
 
Has happened to me once on the ATR, airplane pitched up quite abruptly as soon as the GS came alive and started climbing for it. Had I not noticed it and disc. the autopilot, it would have easily brought out the stick shaker. It was trimming quickly right before I disconnected it.

Happened once on the CRJ-200 as well. Weird as heck and I didn't understand why it would just randomly do that. Both times into ATL.

I had it a couple of times into ATL on the ATR as well. 27L if I remember right, before they built 10/28.
 
not true, the 737 autopilot will most definitely capture the GS before being in VOR/LOC. although in this case I don't think it matters, as you pointed out.

From section 6.4 page 17 of the CAL 737 flight manual:

"Glideslope capture is inhibited prior to localizer capture."

It is true of all transport catagory aircraft because often times the G/S is unreliable more than 30 degrees or so off the loc, and often the mode is armed outside of that arc.
 
Anybody verify that this is a real alert, and not some snarky, in poor taste attempt at humor?

It's real. I posted a comment the day after the accident on another thread about this but no one noticed. :(

Have been in VMC when the AP chased these erroneous signals. It's quite dramatic and you need to disconnect the autopilot quickly or doo doo would happen fast!

There is a notam about the GS being unusable x number of degrees of centerline, but no explanation as to why.
 
Does anyone know if radar recorded the aircraft climbing a few hundred feet before it plunged to earth? From what I have read the only radar returns were of the aircraft rapidly descending.
 
From section 6.4 page 17 of the CAL 737 flight manual:

"Glideslope capture is inhibited prior to localizer capture."

I'm sure your book says that. SWAs says something along the lines of "if you think that GS capture will occur prior to VORLOC capture, consider arming VORLOC instead of APP."

and, I've seen it happen. There are a lot of 737s out there and there are differences. Shoot, my squadron in the navy had 3, all delivered within a year of each other, and one would capture the GS first while the other two would not.
 
I'm sure your book says that. SWAs says something along the lines of "if you think that GS capture will occur prior to VORLOC capture, consider arming VORLOC instead of APP."

and, I've seen it happen. There are a lot of 737s out there and there are differences. Shoot, my squadron in the navy had 3, all delivered within a year of each other, and one would capture the GS first while the other two would not.

Well, FWIW, I got into the habit of arming LOC only until it was captured, then arming the ILS because I had it bite me a couple of times while on the ATR.
 

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