Real Airline Training: ATR 72-600 RNP Operations from Takeoff to Landing

This is an ATR 72-600 full-flight simulator. A  multi-million-dollar device designed to replicate   the real aircraft to the tiniest detail. And this  is what the Primary Flight Display (PFD) looks   like when you fly an RNP approach. How do you do  it? This is what I will talk about in this video. Hello aviators, how are you today? My name is  Magnar Nordal, and I’m an ATR instructor. In this   video, we look at instrument flight procedures  used for departure, arrival and approach in ATR   aircraft with glass cockpit. RNP is a type of  Area Navigation (RNAV) that includes onboard   performance monitoring and alerting to ensure the  aircraft remains within the Required Navigation   Performance (RNP). Specifically, we will look at  the Standard Instrument Departure (SID), Standard   Arrival Route (STAR), and RNP approach with LNAV  and VNAV. Fasten your seatbelt and let’s take off. The video was recorded in an ATR 72-600 Full  Flight Simulator (FFS). The simulator features   a six-axis motion system, an exact replica of  the aircraft cockpit, a 200-degree infinity   vision system, and an instructor station with  one great addition: a tablet displaying the   captain’s Primary Flight Display (PFD). Without  it, instructors would rely on X-ray vision. The screen recording was made during a  type rating course involving two first   officers. During training, they  alternate between flying from the   right-hand seat and acting as pilot  monitoring from the captain’s seat. I recorded the tablet with a camera standing  on the table, which limited filming to moments   when the simulator’s motion system  was not operating. In other words,   this was during the earlier stages of  training, before the simulator starts   enthusiastically throwing people around.   That said, the trainees performed very well,   and by the time you see this video, they  had already passed their skill test.   For those of you not yet fluent in ATR  hieroglyphics, here’s a quick tour:  The cockpit is dominated by five screens,  two Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and two   Multi-Function Displays (MFD) in front  of each pilot, and an Engine Warning   Display (EWD). If you want a more detailed  introduction, you can watch this video. In this video, we will focus on the Primary Flight  Display (PFD) and the associated control panels.    Right in the middle sits the artificial  horizon, also known as the Attitude Direction   Indicator, or ADI. This is basically  the instrument that prevents pilots   from accidentally turning the aircraft upside  down. On the left side, we have the airspeed   indicator. On the right side is the altimeter.   And the outermost scale is the Vertical Speed   Indicator (VSI). It shows the aircraft’s climb  or descent rate in hundreds of feet per minute. The space above the ADI is dedicated the Flight  Mode Annunciator (FMA). This is where the aircraft   politely informs the pilots what the automation  is actually doing — which is always nice to know. The lower section is the navigation  area. It shows the aircraft heading,   along with the navigation source  selected by the pilot. And right   in the middle of the compass rose sits  the Course Deviation Indicator (CDI),   quietly reassuring us that we are actually  flying in the direction we intended to go.   We will come back to the intricate details  when they become relevant for the flight. There are two control panels. First, the  Flight Guidance Control Panel (FGCP),   where the pilot selects the appropriate  navigation source and flight director modes.    And yes — before anyone asks — this little  button right here is for the Auto Pilot.   Finally, this is the Index  Control Panel (ICP) where   we can select automatic or manual target speed. In this video, we will depart from runway  34 at Napier Airport in New Zealand. We will   fly to Auckland. The departure route  is OBLOX 4Q with BOVSA transition,   which is entered into the FMS. This departure  is a straightforward procedure. However,

we must pass BOVSA at or below 10,000 feet.   The transition altitude is 13,000 feet. The first officer is pilot flying.   This arrow means the Flight Director   will follow the navigation source selected  here: FMS number 2. The captain has selected   FMS number 1. On the navigation area, we  can see the name of the first waypoint,   and the bearing and distance to the  waypoint. We are lined up on the runway,   and the CDI is centred. The magenta colour  means the information is provided by the FMS. We are cleared FL180, or 18,000 feet, which is set   with the Altitude selector knob. The  weight of the aircraft is 20,800 kg,   and the FMS has calculated the take-off  speeds as follows: V1 108, VR 108, and V2 111. V1 is shown here. V2 + 5, 116 knots,  is shown here after auto speed has been   selected by pressing the AUTO/MAN button.   Increasing V2 improves climb performance   in case of an engine failure, at the cost  of a slightly longer take-off distance. Before departure, the First Officer selects  Heading (HDG), Navigation (NAV), which arms   Lateral Navigation mode (LNAV), Indicated  Airspeed (IAS) and Vertical Navigation (VNAV),   which arms VNAV IAS mode. LNAV and VNAV  will activate when we are airborne.   The green flight director bars will provide  guidance once the aircraft is airborne. We are   cleared take-off. The captain increases  power. Airspeed alive. We can now see V1,   VR and V2. “V1 rotate. ” “Positive climb. ” “Gear  up. ” LNAV and VNAV IAS are active. The pilot   will maneuver to keep the little box in the  intersection between the flight director bars.   The autopilot is selected on. (Lazy pilot. )  Passing acceleration altitude. Climb power is set,   and the target speed increases to 170 knots.   This is controlled by the FMS. The FMS has   also armed VNAV ALT mode, which ensures the  aircraft will level off at 10,000 feet before   reaching BOVSA waypoint. Without LNAV, the  pilots must select 10,000 feet themselves. When passing 1,100 feet on the radio altimeter,   the maximum bank angle in  turns is increased from 15   to 27 degrees. This is indicated with those green  lines, and the “LO” label on the FMA disappears. The white “F” indicates flaps speed,  where we can retract the flaps.   On this flight, I told the trainees  to select manual target speed   and fly at white bug +10 knots. This  is the speed for best rate of climb.    The vertical speed indicator (VSI) shows the  rate of climb in hundreds of feet per minute.   We are passing OBLOX, and the  aircraft turns towards BOVSA. The heading bug is centred by  pressing the heading button (HDG).   I tell the trainees to select normal climb  speed, and they press the Auto/Manual button   to activate automatic target speed.   Standard climb speed is 170 knots. I didn’t record the aircraft  levelling off at 10,000 feet,   so I will show a video from another flight.

Here, the aircraft must pass a  waypoint at or below 5,000 feet,   which is shown here. We use VNAV IAS for  climb, and VNAV ALT is armed. VNAV ALT is   armed automatically when the FMS calculates  we will reach 5,000 feet before the waypoint.    VNAV ALT star.    VNAV ALT green. There is also a speed constraint   of 170 knots until the next waypoint, so  the pilot must reduce power to comply. When passing the waypoint, the aircraft  starts to climb again in VNAV IAS mode,   and the pilot increases power. A new altitude  constraint shows up. Thanks to the FMS and   VNAV mode, the workload of the crew is  reduced, improving situational awareness. Back to the flight from Napier to Auckland. We  are now passing transition altitude (TA) and   set standard altimeter reference.   That is 1013. 25 hPa or 29. 92 inches.   The aircraft continues  climbing to Flight Level 180.   We are cruising towards the first waypoint of the  Standard Arrival Route inbound Auckland. It is   called DODKU 1A and takes us from DODKU waypoint  to EMRAG where the approach procedure commences.   The crew will conduct the approach briefing.   This will be an RNP approach to runway 23L   flown with LNAV and VNAV. Minima is  340 feet or 317 feet above the runway. When we are inside 5 minutes from Top of  Descent, the vertical deviation indicator   appears on the ADI. The magenta box,  often called the “brick” by the pilots,   provides vertical guidance all the  way to the missed approach point. The flight is cleared descent  to 7,000 feet, which is set.    When you select VNAV, VNAV PATH mode is  activated and Altitude Select is armed,   ensuring the aircraft will  level off at 7,000 feet. The target speed is increased to calculated  cruise speed at 7,000 feet, in this case 240   knots. This is standard speed for descent.   The crew will perform descent checklist. If the speed exceeds 247 knots, the autopilot  will pitch the nose of the aircraft up,   preventing overspeed. In this case, the  pilot reduced the power in time to avoid it. Passing transition level, Flight Level 150,  and the crew sets the barometric altimeter   reference to reported QNH, 1017 hPa. They  can now perform the approach checklist. We are now inbound TEVUC  waypoint and cleared 5,000 feet.    We must cross the waypoint at 5,000  feet or above, with maximum 220 knots.

After TEVUC, we are cleared 3,000 feet. We must cross EMRAG at or above  3,000 feet. The FMS calculates   we will cross the waypoint at  3,461 feet. Max speed is 210   knots. We are cleared RNP approach runway 23L and  press the Approach button (APP). This arms   Vertical Flight Path mode (V-FP). We must  also set the altitude for Final Approach   Fix, 1,670 feet, which means we select 1,700 feet. The target speed is now 170 knots, which is the   limit at ORESO waypoint. It is also the speed we  will start configuring the aircraft for landing. The two lines at 185 knots marks the  maximum speed for extending the flaps to 15   degrees. Flaps 15. Target speed 140  knots. Radio altimeter alive.   Maximum speed for landing  gear extension is 170 knots. V-FP green. Set go-around altitude. Maximum speed for flaps 30 is 150 knots.   With flaps 30, the reference speed is the approach  speed (VAPP), 106 knots. Before landing checklist.

This approach is called a 3D approach,   because the autopilot can follow  both lateral and vertical guidance. When   passing 1,000 feet on the radio altimeter,  the maximum bank angle in turn is restricted   to 15 degrees. This is indicated with those  green lines, and a “LO” label on the FMA. Those two lines mark our minima. The brown area is the ground. 100 feet above. Minima.   Autopilot off. It can remain  engaged until 160 feet. Yaw Damper (YD) off. It must  be disengaged before landing. When passing the last waypoint on the flight  plan, the flight director modes are cancelled. And touch down. And that is all for this time. In the next video,  we will have a look at other types of approaches,   including ILS, localizer and VOR/DME. As usual, a  big thank you goes to the members of this channel.    They make this content possible. Thank you for  watching, have a wonderful day, and happy landing.