Visual Descent Point | Descending from the MDA | FAR 91.175

What is the Visual Descent Point (VDP) on a non precision approach? The little black V on some approach plates causes a lot of big arguments. Learn about it here.
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[@blaynus2872]

I'm preparing to take my first airline interview in several weeks. I've wanted to become an airline pilot ever since I was a little kid. It's been 4.5 long years since I began my aviation career and I've shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears along the way. This content has helped me prepare immeasurably. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@EdgarGarcia-pu4dj]

So how did it go?

[@leandroaraujo5606]

Did you get it?

[@specialneedsmolester1957]

When?

[@riod43]

He quit and got a real estate license instead.

[@Shandakel]

Legend has it He’s still in the interview to this day…

[@JavaSQL]

Excellent VDP illustration. Much appreciated.

[@kiltedpiper98]

Your videos are always so on point, succinct yet complete and just awesome.

[@paulcobb8765]

Absolutely the best video training available, Amazing!!!

[@johnf.8831]

I love your content. You present very nuanced content in a clear, concise and simple manner. Thanks!

[@jotape6306]

exactly what ive been waiting for since I studied IR 2 yrs ago! i love how this video begins!

[@tomdchi12]

That opening music was amazing! Straight out of some 16mm early-1970s educational film! As for the rest of the video... hoo boy, instrument is going to be interesting.

[@flightinsight9111]

Yup! That’s where I lifted it from! Grain of salt…this video falls into the more advanced topics in IFR, I left it out of the full IFR online course on the website cause some of it is a bit outside the scope of the ACS. Didn’t mean to scare ya!

[@raccoonair]

Great followup from the previous one; thanks for sharing.

[@andreascristofori6980]

Thank you for your hard and satisfying work. I love your videos and explanations. May this channel be even more prosperous.

[@jaylewen3140]

This was an awesome refresher. Thanks.

[@AaronGrijalva]

Great job on all of your videos.

[@vhscampos1]

This might be your best video so far. Thanks a lot for this great content

[@flightinsight9111]

I appreciate it!

[@pk7549]

Great video. I think the reasoning behind having a VDP and 2400 rvr or 1/2sm minimums is that some approach light systems can extend to 2400' from the threshold. Which means that if you did reach the VDP and the flight visibility was 1/2sm, you would see the approach lights and not the threshold. At this point you can still continue further decent to 100' above touchdown zone elevation.

[@alk672]

Exactly, the threshold being not visible yet doesn't mean "runway environment" is not visible. The video misses it.

[@mytech6779]

That and the proceedure is used by many types of aircraft so a "normal rate of decent" doesn't mean 3⁰, a slow bush plane with big ol tires and a modest headwind may have an 8⁰ or 10⁰ path at a normal decent rate (ie without slips or exceeding Vref). Heck I'v come in nearly that steep with a 172 just because of a 20 knot headwind and I was light.

[@jakew9887]

Excellent video. Thanks

[@alaazka]

this channel is so underrated.

[@riggs5527]

Great video sir, thanks

[@gonetoearth2588]

Best explanation of this topic I’ve seen. And I’ve been IR for 15 years. Thx!

[@mikepapakilo8209]

Great as always! Cotangent - fancy! Could also just divide 343 by regular ol’ tangent (of 3)

[@mohammedsayed1356]

Thank you sir

[@louisw]

4:12 did you mean that a non-precision approach does not offer vertical guidance? Thanks for all the videos. I have my IR already, but being able to review the basics in easy-to-understand videos has been helpful.

[@flightinsight9111]

yes indeed!

[@codylucero5855]

Yep lol I was like "wait, what?"

[@747Max]

@@flightinsight9111 I also noticed that at 7:12 you said "if the weather is at minimums we can legally shoot the approach", as long as we are NOT part 121 or 135, we can "legally" shoot the approach with any reported weather.

[@idekav.]

@@747Max i think he was speaking more in check ride terms, on the check ride your not going to tell him/her that you can legally shoot an approach with any minima

[@littleferrhis]

Lol caught that protect and survive music for the VDP, still gives me the same amount of chills as a closely impending nuclear war.

[@flightinsight9111]

Nuclear war is almost as scary as shooting a non precision approach

[@danwybrow7226]

As a Utahn- A. Seeing a Utah plate in one of your videos and B. The fact that you pronounced Toole correctly- 🔥🔥🔥 LET’S GOOOOO! Hahaha

[@flightinsight9111]

had to look up how to pronounce it but glad the extra effort was appreciated!

[@danwybrow7226]

insert Ron Swanson “I’m proud of you” gif here I’m getting ready for my instrument End of Course at USU (basically their pre-check ride assessment, oral and flying), so I’ve been binging your instrument training playlist. Love all your stuff, man! 🤘🏻

[@Faris_baasher]

Well you don’t really need to see the runway to continue with the app all you need is RWY app lights which they extend prior to the RWY also lights can be converted into RVR depending on the conditions like for example a 1000m vis can be expressed as 1500m RVR when you have High intensity lights you just have to multiply by 1.5 by day, but other than that great content keep it up

[@TallyVisual]

How do you make all these neat videos so quickly? Keep it up ;)

[@ameeralmaliky6099]

How to calculate VDP for VOR approach that NAVAID lies in distance on the other side of the runway ?

[@ef2111]

Watch the movie Threads and tell me if you get flashbacks from the opening music to this video, LOL! Good video BTW!

[@TxRocketeer]

Love these videos. Hey, on the 1U7 RNAV 10, where's the MAP? is it at GLUTS?

[@flightinsight9111]

Yup! That's where the bold line turns into the dashed line on the profile view

[@johnsealey3990]

So... the intro. Homage to the television series "V"?

[@MCKenDaugherty]

8:24 would it be out of the question to perform a forward slip to landing to stay within the required category approach?

[@kadenmorin7688]

Time to take my TI84 up with me now

[@josephstout384]

Shouldn’t you divide the HAT by 350 at bear lake county since it is a 3.5 degree glide slope?

[@user-sk8ck2me5i]

Wouldn't you divide by 350 not 300 at 9:20 since the glide slope for this approach is 3.50* not the standard 3.0*?

[@comcfi]

4:10

[@fishhisy]

Make a video describing how you'd use obs mode on a GPS navigator to navigate a hold, if the 430 can't make an unpublished hold we gotta obs it

[@flightinsight9111]

Check it out! This is with the 650 but somewhat similar to the 430/530. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2iUdHWuo52Zqsk

[@navaereadescomplicada]

@@flightinsight9111 it's marked as private video

[@AJpro88]

at 4:10 you say that a precision approach "doesn't" offer vertical guidance

[@blarsen8]

You are dividing by 300 because 3 degree glide path is about 300 feet per nautical mile? For example, If a glide path is 2.5 degrees, do you divide by 250? Or for the GPS approach example it said the glide path was 3.5 degrees, would you then divide by 350 to get a better idea of a VDP? All of this is guessing of course…

[@PILOTATSUME]

Yes, MDH/300 means, It’s about Vapp 60kt, like Cessna172 or something similar aircraft which is CAT A for GPA3.0. The other CAT of aircraft will not be the same with this.

[@mikesteffen3378]

Incorrect. The 300 comes from feet per nautical mile on a 3 degree glide slope. Same for all CAT. It’s true that a Higher CAT will need to have a higher descent rate (feet per minute), but that is always the case on approaches.

[@PILOTATSUME]

@@mikesteffen3378 Now I see, you right. I won’t get confused the FPM(minites or miles) anymore. Thanks bro.

[@joseguevara8995]

4:10. You mean non-precision?

[@flightinsight9111]

Yep!

[@IranAir12]

This actually is more confusing than the far aim.

[@psneves]

For dumb pilots like me. 343 x 3= 1000 and something. 1 mile. ciao! 😄