Narrative:

Location: VOR runway 13L approach at jfk. As per procedures, captain and myself question whether it is legal to execute the VOR runway 13L/right approach at jfk. This is especially true at night or in WX when cleared for VOR runway 13L approach. There are several areas where we are concerned. 1) this technically is a VOR circling approach, not a VOR straight in approach. As per FM part 2, an approach that is greater than 30 degrees off the runway heading is either a circling approach or a visual approach. Circle to land on the VOR runway 13L/right approach is not authorized. 2) according to air carrier procedures, if you are in visual conditions at the MDA, continue at the MDA to a point (vdp or computed ndp) from which the airplane can commence at a normal rate for landing. There is no vdp depicted and it is not possible to compute an ndp without DME or timing. Additionally, as per normals, the runway or runway lighting (not just approach lights) must be in sight to continue descent below the MDA and land. The approach plate, however, says '...when visual reference established, fly visual to airport via lead in lights to runway 13L or 13R.' the approach plate and company procedures are contradictory since I am on/cleared for a VOR approach. The approach plate transitions me to a visual approach, which now negates an MDA. Therefore, I am now flying a visual approach and can commence a descent at the map. This can lead to an aircraft descending too low, too early, especially since there is no vdp, computed ndp or visual landmark. It is interesting to note that this same VOR approach is also a visual approach titled 'shore visual runway 13L/right at jfk.' on the shore visual there is a visual reference point, twin stacks, used to continue the descent to runway 13L. No such visual reference point exists on the VOR runway 13L/right approach. Please take a close look at this approach. I feel it is ambiguous to our procedures and could lead to a serious mishap. One last factor, the flight originates in boston, is a short leg to jfk, is the last leg of a 13+ hour day, and is at night. First time crews into jfk in this situation already have their hands full. This approach is going to get someone into trouble. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that his carrier requires a go around if the runway environment is not in sight at the map. He contends, and is probably correct, that the runway is not visible from the map at 800 ft even on a clear night. In this case it was not and a go around was executed. His airline also does not allow the use of lead in lights when the runway is not in sight and he suggests that this approach be removed from their manual since there is a visual approach that parallels the VOR approach, but uses higher minimums. This would allow the aircraft to be at 1500 ft at the 2.6 DME, which is at or above the normal profile for most aircraft, giving the crew a better chance of seeing the runway. It would also allow the use of the lead in lights as an aid under his airline procedures. Reporter expressed the concern that the tendency is to being a descent from the MDA toward the runway and the inexperienced crew will then be much too low too early. Reporter is following up on this problem with his company.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PLT COMPLAINS THAT VOR RWY 13L/R APCH TO JFK, NY, IS AT BEST CONFUSING AND AT WORST ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO COMPANY AND CHART PROCS.

Narrative: LOCATION: VOR RWY 13L APCH AT JFK. AS PER PROCS, CAPT AND MYSELF QUESTION WHETHER IT IS LEGAL TO EXECUTE THE VOR RWY 13L/R APCH AT JFK. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE AT NIGHT OR IN WX WHEN CLRED FOR VOR RWY 13L APCH. THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS WHERE WE ARE CONCERNED. 1) THIS TECHNICALLY IS A VOR CIRCLING APCH, NOT A VOR STRAIGHT IN APCH. AS PER FM PART 2, AN APCH THAT IS GREATER THAN 30 DEGS OFF THE RWY HDG IS EITHER A CIRCLING APCH OR A VISUAL APCH. CIRCLE TO LAND ON THE VOR RWY 13L/R APCH IS NOT AUTHORIZED. 2) ACCORDING TO ACR PROCS, IF YOU ARE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS AT THE MDA, CONTINUE AT THE MDA TO A POINT (VDP OR COMPUTED NDP) FROM WHICH THE AIRPLANE CAN COMMENCE AT A NORMAL RATE FOR LNDG. THERE IS NO VDP DEPICTED AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO COMPUTE AN NDP WITHOUT DME OR TIMING. ADDITIONALLY, AS PER NORMALS, THE RWY OR RWY LIGHTING (NOT JUST APCH LIGHTS) MUST BE IN SIGHT TO CONTINUE DSCNT BELOW THE MDA AND LAND. THE APCH PLATE, HOWEVER, SAYS '...WHEN VISUAL REF ESTABLISHED, FLY VISUAL TO ARPT VIA LEAD IN LIGHTS TO RWY 13L OR 13R.' THE APCH PLATE AND COMPANY PROCS ARE CONTRADICTORY SINCE I AM ON/CLRED FOR A VOR APCH. THE APCH PLATE TRANSITIONS ME TO A VISUAL APCH, WHICH NOW NEGATES AN MDA. THEREFORE, I AM NOW FLYING A VISUAL APCH AND CAN COMMENCE A DSCNT AT THE MAP. THIS CAN LEAD TO AN ACFT DSNDING TOO LOW, TOO EARLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE IS NO VDP, COMPUTED NDP OR VISUAL LANDMARK. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THIS SAME VOR APCH IS ALSO A VISUAL APCH TITLED 'SHORE VISUAL RWY 13L/R AT JFK.' ON THE SHORE VISUAL THERE IS A VISUAL REF POINT, TWIN STACKS, USED TO CONTINUE THE DSCNT TO RWY 13L. NO SUCH VISUAL REF POINT EXISTS ON THE VOR RWY 13L/R APCH. PLEASE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS APCH. I FEEL IT IS AMBIGUOUS TO OUR PROCS AND COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS MISHAP. ONE LAST FACTOR, THE FLT ORIGINATES IN BOSTON, IS A SHORT LEG TO JFK, IS THE LAST LEG OF A 13+ HOUR DAY, AND IS AT NIGHT. FIRST TIME CREWS INTO JFK IN THIS SIT ALREADY HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL. THIS APCH IS GOING TO GET SOMEONE INTO TROUBLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT HIS CARRIER REQUIRES A GAR IF THE RWY ENVIRONMENT IS NOT IN SIGHT AT THE MAP. HE CONTENDS, AND IS PROBABLY CORRECT, THAT THE RWY IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE MAP AT 800 FT EVEN ON A CLR NIGHT. IN THIS CASE IT WAS NOT AND A GAR WAS EXECUTED. HIS AIRLINE ALSO DOES NOT ALLOW THE USE OF LEAD IN LIGHTS WHEN THE RWY IS NOT IN SIGHT AND HE SUGGESTS THAT THIS APCH BE REMOVED FROM THEIR MANUAL SINCE THERE IS A VISUAL APCH THAT PARALLELS THE VOR APCH, BUT USES HIGHER MINIMUMS. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE ACFT TO BE AT 1500 FT AT THE 2.6 DME, WHICH IS AT OR ABOVE THE NORMAL PROFILE FOR MOST ACFT, GIVING THE CREW A BETTER CHANCE OF SEEING THE RWY. IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW THE USE OF THE LEAD IN LIGHTS AS AN AID UNDER HIS AIRLINE PROCS. RPTR EXPRESSED THE CONCERN THAT THE TENDENCY IS TO BEING A DSCNT FROM THE MDA TOWARD THE RWY AND THE INEXPERIENCED CREW WILL THEN BE MUCH TOO LOW TOO EARLY. RPTR IS FOLLOWING UP ON THIS PROB WITH HIS COMPANY.

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.