AndyinPIT From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 318 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 2463 times:
What exactly goes on in the cockpit when S-turns are requested? Just curious as to how much of a pain it is (if at all) for pilots when they are issued.
Kcrwflyer From United States of America, joined May 2004, 3628 posts, RR: 7 Reply 1, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2417 times:
I don't think it's a big deal at all. When ATC asks, whoever is flying just executes the turn.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19693 posts, RR: 56 Reply 2, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2395 times:
The only real issue with S-turns is that you want to be done with them with enough time left to re-establish a good straight approach. How long you need to do that depends on the aircraft - larger aircraft need more time. If I think the tower is requesting S-turns too late, I'll just opt for a go-around.
But flying them is no big deal. Turn to the left, turn to the right, etc. You might have to turn the autopilot off if you were doing a coupled approach, but you'd only be doing S-turns in VMC anyway, so that's not a big deal unless you need the coupled approach for legal reasons.
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2511 posts, RR: 45 Reply 3, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2278 times:
I agree with Mir. They are no problem and sometimes the aircraft is the one asking for them (to lose altitude and/or gain spacing on preceding aircraft by using a longer ground track.) I don't recall ever doing them with the autopilot on; it's just easier to disconnect and hand fly the turns, making sure to meet the stabilized approach requirements in your ops specs. It's a safe way to get the spacing you need on final, and beats going around and getting resequenced as long as adequate spacing and approach stability can be guaranteed.
In short, like Mir and Kcrwflyer indicated, it's pretty much a non-event.
FlyASAGuy2005 From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 6512 posts, RR: 11 Reply 4, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2169 times:
I;ve been ableto jump seat quite a bit and i've only had the chance to experience it twice. Both times were were coming in a little fast and high and it was the CA that actually requested it from the TWR.
CAM2:"Lightning coming out of that one." CAM1: "What?"
SEPilot From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 6256 posts, RR: 39 Reply 5, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2043 times:
I have been asked to slow down a couple of times; one time I offered (and the offer was accepted) to do a 360. Of course this was VFR, and no big deal. With the 182 I could usually slow down enough without doing S-turns for just about any situation, but doing them would be no big deal.
The problem with making things foolproof is that fools are so doggone ingenious...Dan Keebler
ThirtyEcho From United States of America, joined Dec 2001, 1634 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (2 years 7 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 1984 times:
They used to be more frequent than they are now. ATC is much more capable of providing separation far from the final approach course. In VFR environments, I don't hear them issued but once in a blue moon. In any case, it isn't a big deal.
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