Narrative:

Approaching phl airport from the west on the bucks 2 arrival route to the bucks intersection. After bucks intersection, we had radar vectors for an ILS 27R approach. We were cleared down to 3000 ft and a speed of 190 KTS. The initial approach altitude is 2100 ft. We were vectored very close in to the OM (speez) and cleared for the approach. As a result, we were above the GS crossing the OM and our speed was too fast to set final flaps. So the decision to go missed approach was made very early, at approximately 2100 ft, and the missed approach altitude is 2000 ft. On this aircraft, you cannot set missed approach altitude until you are on GS and below missed approach altitude. We never did get on GS, so our missed approach altitude was not set in the FCU. Once the decision to go missed approach was made, my reaction was to start a climb. Before I corrected, we had climbed to 3000 to 3100 ft, when ATC asked our altitude. After advising them of being at 3000 ft, they told us the missed approach altitude was 2000 ft, but told us to remain at 3000 ft and vectored us back for another ILS 27R approach. Again they vectored us onto the ILS right at the OM. We were able to capture the GS this time because we had our speed back and the aircraft set up for the approach (gear down and full flaps). After that, approach and landing were normal. I feel this could have been avoided if I had requested a longer final approach or a slower speed. A problem that I have seen since being on this airplane glass cockpit large transport is that it is very difficult to descend and slow at the same time. I think most ATC controllers are used to the way an large transport or medium large transport can rapidly descend and slow and expect the same from the glass cockpit large transport. Supplemental information from acn 228395: one reason he was having trouble slowing down I believe is we were flying our first glass cockpit large transport with the final standard of the fmg system which required a manual activation of the approach. Prior to the final standard, the approach was activated automatically, allowing the aircraft to slow to vapp.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT ACR CREW OVERSHOT ITS ALT ON A MISSED APCH.

Narrative: APCHING PHL ARPT FROM THE W ON THE BUCKS 2 ARR RTE TO THE BUCKS INTXN. AFTER BUCKS INTXN, WE HAD RADAR VECTORS FOR AN ILS 27R APCH. WE WERE CLRED DOWN TO 3000 FT AND A SPD OF 190 KTS. THE INITIAL APCH ALT IS 2100 FT. WE WERE VECTORED VERY CLOSE IN TO THE OM (SPEEZ) AND CLRED FOR THE APCH. AS A RESULT, WE WERE ABOVE THE GS XING THE OM AND OUR SPD WAS TOO FAST TO SET FINAL FLAPS. SO THE DECISION TO GO MISSED APCH WAS MADE VERY EARLY, AT APPROX 2100 FT, AND THE MISSED APCH ALT IS 2000 FT. ON THIS ACFT, YOU CANNOT SET MISSED APCH ALT UNTIL YOU ARE ON GS AND BELOW MISSED APCH ALT. WE NEVER DID GET ON GS, SO OUR MISSED APCH ALT WAS NOT SET IN THE FCU. ONCE THE DECISION TO GO MISSED APCH WAS MADE, MY REACTION WAS TO START A CLB. BEFORE I CORRECTED, WE HAD CLBED TO 3000 TO 3100 FT, WHEN ATC ASKED OUR ALT. AFTER ADVISING THEM OF BEING AT 3000 FT, THEY TOLD US THE MISSED APCH ALT WAS 2000 FT, BUT TOLD US TO REMAIN AT 3000 FT AND VECTORED US BACK FOR ANOTHER ILS 27R APCH. AGAIN THEY VECTORED US ONTO THE ILS RIGHT AT THE OM. WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE GS THIS TIME BECAUSE WE HAD OUR SPD BACK AND THE ACFT SET UP FOR THE APCH (GEAR DOWN AND FULL FLAPS). AFTER THAT, APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD REQUESTED A LONGER FINAL APCH OR A SLOWER SPD. A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE SEEN SINCE BEING ON THIS AIRPLANE GLASS COCKPIT LGT IS THAT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DSND AND SLOW AT THE SAME TIME. I THINK MOST ATC CTLRS ARE USED TO THE WAY AN LGT OR MLG CAN RAPIDLY DSND AND SLOW AND EXPECT THE SAME FROM THE GLASS COCKPIT LGT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 228395: ONE REASON HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE SLOWING DOWN I BELIEVE IS WE WERE FLYING OUR FIRST GLASS COCKPIT LGT WITH THE FINAL STANDARD OF THE FMG SYS WHICH REQUIRED A MANUAL ACTIVATION OF THE APCH. PRIOR TO THE FINAL STANDARD, THE APCH WAS ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY, ALLOWING THE ACFT TO SLOW TO VAPP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.