4.2 StaRs for aircraft inbound to Chek Lap Kok

Exercise 4.2.1 Read and translate the text.

Aircraft inbound to Chek Lap Kok arrive along one or two routeings – the Astra One STAR is for aircraft from the east and northeast, and the Baker One STAR for all the other flights arriving from the southeast through to the southwest and the north. This is the routeing Speedbird 25 will use today. It is a lengthy procedure. If flown in its entirety, Baker One covers 200nm over the South China Sea to facilitate descents within the airspace controlled by Hong Kong ATC. However, recalling the NOTAMs that suggested there is a good chance of a shortened routeing, Harry suggests descending early so the jet won’t be left embarrassingly high if ATC provides a shortcut.

At Hong Kong, the north runway is used for arrivals and the south runway mainly for departures, so the crew can expect to land on Runway 07 Left or 25 Right, depending on wind direction. Eventually, a dual-operation – take-offs and landings on each runway – is planned as air traffic increases. Today, the wind favours Runway 07 Left. Looking at the approach chart, the pilots can expect to join the right downwind leg abeam the airport on the south side of Lantau Island, flying a heading of 250˚ at 7,000 ft.

They will descent to 3,000ft and at a waypoint called SOKOE, southwest of the field, will turn to 337˚ for the base leg. The jet will intercept the localizer 8.3nm from the runway, level at 2,000ft. Tracking inbound on a heading of 073˚, the pilots will descend on the glideslope to a decision height of 230ft at which point the runway must be visible ahead to continue with the landing. Given today’s good weather, the pilots expect to have the airport in view well before that. However, if they were unable to see the field, they would immediately commence a missed approach, procedure that merits close attention because of the surrounding hills. It calls for a straight-ahead climb to Siu Mo To VOR (SMT) just east of the airport, then left to track the 047˚ radial from SMT to thread a gap between two hilltops, while climbing to 4,500ft. The jumbo’s good climb rate should take it quickly above the terrain. From there, the crew would fly a pattern around the airport back to SOKOE to hold. A number of factors can cause a missed approach, such as bad weather or an aircraft blocking the runway. Depending on the reason, the crew would elect to try another approach, hold for a time for the weather to improve or proceed direct to their alternative.

Approach speed in a 747 can vary widely, from 158kt at 280 tonnes to 139kt at 220 tonnes. Today, the FMC predicts a landing weight of 250.7 tonnes, which would require a landing speed, or Vref, of 149kt. British Airways normally uses Flap 25 for landing. Flap 30 reduces the landing speed by about 6kt and is reserved for shorter runways, runways contaminated with snow or water, or when the autopilot is being used to land the jet.

The autobrake can be set to one of five settings, ranging from light to maximum braking. Since runway length today is more than ample and the terminal is located at the far end of the airport, the autobrake is set to 2 to provide moderate deceleration.

The FMC is programmed with the STAR, the landing runway and the missed approach.

Exercise 4.2.2 Answer the questions.

1. What routeings do aircraft inbound to Chek Lap Kok arrive along?

2. What kind of procedure is Baker One STAR and what area does it cover?

3. What runways are used for arrivals and departures at Hong Kong?

4. What approach procedure can the pilots of Speedbird 25 expect today?

5. In what case would the pilots commence a missed approach?

6. What is the standard missed approach procedure at Hong Kong?

7. What factors can cause a missed approach?

8. What can the approach speed be?

9. What settings can the autobrake be set?

10. What is FMC programmed with?

Exercise 4.2.3 Are the following statements true (√) or false (×)? Correct the false ones.

1. Aircraft inbound Check Lap Kok arrive along one of two routeings.

2. The Astra One STAR is for aircraft from the east, and the Baker One STAR is for all the other flights arriving from the southeast through to the southwest and the north.

3. Baker One facilitates descents within the airspace by Hong Kong ATC.

4. At Hong Kong the South runway is used for arrival and the North runway mainly for departures.

5. The pilots can expect to join the right downwind leg abeam the airport on the north side of Lantau Island, flying a heading of 337º at 7,000 feet.

6. The jet will intercept the localizer 8.3 nm from the runway.

7. The pilots will descend on the glideslope to a decision height of 2,000 ft.

8. If they were unable to set the field, they would immediately commence a missed approach procedure.

9. Bad weather can cause a missed approach.

10. Approach speed in a 747 can vary widely, from 158kt at 220 tonnes to 139 kt at 280 tonnes.

11. A landing weight of 250.7 tonnes would require a landing speed of 149 kt.

12. Flap 30 reduces the landing speed by about 6kt and is reserved for shorter runways.

13. The FMC is programmes with the STAR, the landing runway and the missed approach.

Exercise 4.2.4 Give English equivalents for the following words and word combinations.

ВС прибывающие в аэропорт; растянутая процедура; воздушное пространство; контролируемое УВД Гонконга; укороченный маршрут; направление ветра; карта подхода; участок пути между вторым и третьим разворотом правого круга; на траверзе; точка маршрута полета; курсовой радиомаяк; глиссада; высота принятия решения; процедура ухода на второй круг; набор по прямой (без разворотов); радиал; скорость набора; над землей; самолет; блокирующий ВПП; запасной аэродром; скорость захода (на посадку); посадочный вес; посадочная скорость; ВПП покрытая (загрязненная) снегом; автопилот; автоматический тормоз; длина ВПП; умеренное торможение.

Exercise 4.2.5 What do the following abbreviations stand for.

STAR VOR NOTAM ATC FMC nm

Exercise 4.2.6 Find in the text synonyms for the following words and expressions.