<< >> NASA ASRS Report 622387, March 2004

B757 captain is concerned with the sparks visual runway 16R-16L approach procedure during winter environment conditions. Pilotage ground track is less visible during winter conditions.

Attributes
ACN	622387
Time
Date	200403
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rno.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : charted visual arrival star : sparks visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	622387
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Situations
Chart	approach : sparks visual

Narrative:

Sparks visual approach has a detailed graphic of desired approach path over the ground. Actual terrain, especially during winter when everything is brown, is much more difficult to pick out. Portions of lateral track position definition are not visible during entire approach, ie, golf course is behind a hill during turn to final. As a result attention needed to fly lateral track leaves little time to concentrate on vertical path. Tendency is to get high. Recommend development of FMS visual procedure that would allow precise lateral navigation while providing vertical guidance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT IS CONCERNED WITH THE SPARKS VISUAL RWY 16R-16L APCH PROC DURING WINTER ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS. PILOTAGE GND TRACK IS LESS VISIBLE DURING WINTER CONDITIONS.

Narrative: SPARKS VISUAL APCH HAS A DETAILED GRAPHIC OF DESIRED APCH PATH OVER THE GND. ACTUAL TERRAIN, ESPECIALLY DURING WINTER WHEN EVERYTHING IS BROWN, IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO PICK OUT. PORTIONS OF LATERAL TRACK POS DEFINITION ARE NOT VISIBLE DURING ENTIRE APCH, IE, GOLF COURSE IS BEHIND A HILL DURING TURN TO FINAL. AS A RESULT ATTN NEEDED TO FLY LATERAL TRACK LEAVES LITTLE TIME TO CONCENTRATE ON VERT PATH. TENDENCY IS TO GET HIGH. RECOMMEND DEVELOPMENT OF FMS VISUAL PROC THAT WOULD ALLOW PRECISE LATERAL NAV WHILE PROVIDING VERT GUIDANCE.

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.