Turns after takeoff in IMC

[SSDD]

SKYW Pilot,

I think the answer to your question is found in the company manuals. Aerodata performance/company procedures may or may not be the same as TERPS or AIM.

While this is a nice intellectual(?) exercise, it does not address an individual company's procedures.

 

[minitour]

Example: the TERPS says that the maximum descent gradient on the intermediate segment of an approach is XXX ft/ nm, that doesn't mean that the pilot can't descend at a steeper gradient if need be, it just means the approach can't be designed steeper.

Is that just for a straight in approach?

I seem to remember reading somewhere that anything over 500'/nm had to be a circling only approach. There's a VOR-A approach in Hawaii (I think it's out there...maybe not) that is basically straight in but the descent gradient gets up there making it a circling only approach.

-mini

*edit*
Oh...you said Intermediate, I was thinking "final"....disregard.

 

[A Squared]

Is that just for a straight in approach?

I seem to remember reading somewhere that anything over 500'/nm had to be a circling only approach. There's a VOR-A approach in Hawaii (I think it's out there...maybe not) that is basically straight in but the descent gradient gets up there making it a circling only approach.

-mini

*edit*
Oh...you said Intermediate, I was thinking "final"....disregard.

No worries. There are maximum descent gradients for the design of all segments of an approach. when you think about it, it makes sense. You wouldn't want to design an approach which, for example, had an initial altitude of 6500', a 5 mile intermediate segment, and a FAF altitude of 1500'. that would be a descent of 1000'/nm , which is tough to do in most airplanes. so the TERPS specifies a fairly conservative descent gradient for each segment.

 

[minitour]

No worries. There are maximum descent gradients for the design of all segments of an approach. when you think about it, it makes sense. You wouldn't want to design an approach which, for example, had an initial altitude of 6500', a 5 mile intermediate segment, and a FAF altitude of 1500'. that would be a descent of 1000'/nm , which is tough to do in most airplanes. so the TERPS specifies a fairly conservative descent gradient for each segment.

illllll be darned.....something that actually makes sense!

-mini

 

[T206driver]

Gee, when I was flying a Senaca and a Navajo out of Denver International, I allways received an immediate turn from runway heading. IMC or not.
I always thought it was to get my SLOW piston tailfeathers OUT OF THE WAY. Just so all those jet powered RJ's could use the concrete.