Narrative:

The pdx ATIS advised that visual approachs to runway 28L&right were in progress. When we contacted pdx approach; we were advised to expect the 'mill visual approach' to runway 28L. We were vectored on a high right downwind north of the airport. We were then vectored sbound overhead the 'paper mill' (pdx 079 degree radial; 9 DME fix) and then cleared for the mill visual approach. We were given a descent clearance to 3000 ft shortly before arriving overhead the paper mill. The mill visual approach chart indicates that an altitude of 3000 ft or above is recommended over the paper mill. The 240 degree heading was flown to intercept the runway 28L final approach course; but we were unable to land; due to being too high as we approached the runway threshold. Our company procedures require a go around if the aircraft is not on the GS and at final approach speed at 1000 ft AGL. We performed a go around. When asked by ATC why we went around; I told them that the mill visual procedure did not work well with the airbus 330. We were then vectored for another approach with a turn on the localizer 10 mi out. This approach was successful. Subsequently; I was able to determine that crossing the paper mill at 3000 ft MSL; and flying the charted 240 degree heading until intercepting the runway 28L localizer; places the aircraft 3000 ft above the airport with 8.5 flying mi to the runway threshold. This is 550 ft above a 3 degree GS; 8.5 mi from the airport. The airbus 330 has a high aspect ratio wing that makes dscnts in the terminal area challenging. The airplane does not descend rapidly at approach speeds. Any charted procedure that positions an airbus 330 above the GS less than 10 flying mi from runway is problematical. Pdx approach did not seem to be aware of the descent characteristics of this aircraft. This was the first time that I had the mill visual approach assigned while flying the airbus 330. I had flown the approach many times in the B757; and it was a challenge to descend that aircraft in such a manner that the approach was stabilized at 1000 ft AGL. In the airbus 330; it is even more of a challenge.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A330 CAPT EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING CHARTED VISUAL APCH TO PDX THAT CONTAINS ALT RESTRS DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE IN AN A330.

Narrative: THE PDX ATIS ADVISED THAT VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 28L&R WERE IN PROGRESS. WHEN WE CONTACTED PDX APCH; WE WERE ADVISED TO EXPECT THE 'MILL VISUAL APCH' TO RWY 28L. WE WERE VECTORED ON A HIGH R DOWNWIND N OF THE ARPT. WE WERE THEN VECTORED SBOUND OVERHEAD THE 'PAPER MILL' (PDX 079 DEG RADIAL; 9 DME FIX) AND THEN CLRED FOR THE MILL VISUAL APCH. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT CLRNC TO 3000 FT SHORTLY BEFORE ARRIVING OVERHEAD THE PAPER MILL. THE MILL VISUAL APCH CHART INDICATES THAT AN ALT OF 3000 FT OR ABOVE IS RECOMMENDED OVER THE PAPER MILL. THE 240 DEG HDG WAS FLOWN TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 28L FINAL APCH COURSE; BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO LAND; DUE TO BEING TOO HIGH AS WE APCHED THE RWY THRESHOLD. OUR COMPANY PROCS REQUIRE A GAR IF THE ACFT IS NOT ON THE GS AND AT FINAL APCH SPD AT 1000 FT AGL. WE PERFORMED A GAR. WHEN ASKED BY ATC WHY WE WENT AROUND; I TOLD THEM THAT THE MILL VISUAL PROC DID NOT WORK WELL WITH THE AIRBUS 330. WE WERE THEN VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH WITH A TURN ON THE LOC 10 MI OUT. THIS APCH WAS SUCCESSFUL. SUBSEQUENTLY; I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT XING THE PAPER MILL AT 3000 FT MSL; AND FLYING THE CHARTED 240 DEG HDG UNTIL INTERCEPTING THE RWY 28L LOC; PLACES THE ACFT 3000 FT ABOVE THE ARPT WITH 8.5 FLYING MI TO THE RWY THRESHOLD. THIS IS 550 FT ABOVE A 3 DEG GS; 8.5 MI FROM THE ARPT. THE AIRBUS 330 HAS A HIGH ASPECT RATIO WING THAT MAKES DSCNTS IN THE TERMINAL AREA CHALLENGING. THE AIRPLANE DOES NOT DSND RAPIDLY AT APCH SPDS. ANY CHARTED PROC THAT POSITIONS AN AIRBUS 330 ABOVE THE GS LESS THAN 10 FLYING MI FROM RWY IS PROBLEMATICAL. PDX APCH DID NOT SEEM TO BE AWARE OF THE DSCNT CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS ACFT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAD THE MILL VISUAL APCH ASSIGNED WHILE FLYING THE AIRBUS 330. I HAD FLOWN THE APCH MANY TIMES IN THE B757; AND IT WAS A CHALLENGE TO DSND THAT ACFT IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE APCH WAS STABILIZED AT 1000 FT AGL. IN THE AIRBUS 330; IT IS EVEN MORE OF A CHALLENGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.