Low Visibility Operations

FDC Initial Ground Training Module

AIRBUS
1
 LVO Course Content
 Introduction
 Definitions
 Low Visibility Weather
 LVO Requirements
 LVO Normal Procedures
 LVO Abnormal Procedures
 Quiz
2
 Introduction
 Objective
 Economic Aspects
 Contents of LVO
 LVO Capability LVO Course
Content

3
Introduction
Objective:
The main objective of Low Visibility Operations (LVO) is to provide a
level of safety equivalent to other operations, but in adverse weather
conditions with low visibility.
This program is designed to train & qualify the flight crew on Low
Visibility Operations (LVO) consistent with the provisions of GACA
Regulations, GACA E-Book VOL 5, Chapter 2, VOL 4, Chapter 21, and AC
120-29A / AC 120-28D.
• After completing Ground Training the flight crew shall be able to
start the LVO Flight Training phase.
Beginning
of Section 4
Economic Aspects:

LVO may seem expensive but they can help in reducing:

1. Revenue flights disruptions (Connecting flights….)
2. Passenger compensation costs (hotel, catering etc. …)
3. Additional Operational costs (fuel, crew duty time, etc. ...)
4. Additional Maintenance costs (engine cycles, brakes, wheels …)
5. Bad commercial image of the airline ……

Beginning
of Section 5
Contents of LVO

LVO not only include the well

known CAT II and CAT III approach
and landings but also:
 Low visibility Taxi and
Surface Movement
 Low visibility Take off (LVTO)

Beginning
of Section 6
LVO Capability
The capability to conduct an actual LVO depends on:
1. The airport facilities (Landing System, lighting …)
2. The crew capability (training, currency…)
3. The aircraft technical capability (Auto flight system….)

Each of these subjects will be covered in this course.

LVO Capability Airport Facility Crew Capability A/C Technical Capability

Beginning
of Section 7
Definitions

LVO Course
Content

8
Definitions
Obstacle Clearance Zone (OCZ)
 It is a 3 dimensional volume of airspace
above the established airport elevation
which protects for the transition of ACFT
to and from the runway. It preclude the
following : taxing ACFT, parked ACFT, &
object penetrations. It also includes
frangible NAVAID that are fixed by
function.
 It is centered above the runway and
extended runway centerline.
 It is mainly intended to provide clearance protection for ACFT taking-off, landing, &
missed approach.
Beginning
of Section 9
Definitions
Obstacle Clearance Height (OCH)
• It is the lowest height above the
elevation of the relevant runway
threshold or above the
aerodrome elevation, as
applicable, used in establishing
compliance with the
appropriate obstacle clearance
criteria
• It is also the sum of the height
of the highest approach
obstacle or the missed approach
obstacle whichever the greatest
depend on the ACFT type and
the airfield.

Beginning
of Section 10
Definitions
Runway Visual Range (RVR)
• RVR is the range over which the pilot of
an aircraft on the center line of a
runway can see the runway surface
markings or the lights delineating the
runway or identifying its center line.
• It is measured by Transmissometers
located at TDZ, MID point, Rollout and
if required at Far End along the runway.
• Transmissometers rapidly provide
updated and reliable visual reports
which are required for LVO

Beginning
of Section 11
Definitions
Slant Visual Range (SVR)
• The range over which the
pilot of ACFT, in the final
stages of an approach or
landing, can see the markings
or lights, as described in the
RVR definition.
• It is not measured but purely
a flight crew concept.
• It is most of the time lower
than the RVR.

Beginning
of Section 12
Definitions
Landing Categories:
As we have seen in previous module,
LVO includes:
• Low Visibility Taxi
• Low Visibility Takeoff (LVTO)
• CAT II
• CAT III
Let us now define a little more LVTO,
CAT II and CAT III

Beginning
of Section 13
Definitions
Low Visibility Take-Off (LVTO):
A Low visibility takeoff is a takeoff where the
runway visual range (RVR) is lower than
standard takeoff minimums (400m visibility
or Touchdown RVR 500m (as per Opspecs).
A LVTO shall not be initiated unless the
weather conditions at the aerodrome of
departure are equal to or better than
applicable minima for landing at that
aerodrome unless a suitable takeoff alternate
aerodrome is available.

Beginning
of Section 14
Definitions
Category II (CAT II)
CAT II Weather minima has been established
to provide sufficient visual reference at DH to
permit a manual landing to be executed. This
does not mean that the landing must be
made manually: auto land is recommended.

Note: CAT II weather minima are defined in

procedure section of this presentation.

Beginning
of Section 15
Definitions
Category III (CAT III)
In contrast, CAT III weather minima do not
provide sufficient visual reference to allow a
manual landing to be made.
The minima only permits the pilot to decide
if the aircraft will land in the touch down
zone and ensure safety during roll out. In
CAT III Autoland is mandatory.

Note: CAT III weather minima are defined in

procedure section of this presentation.

Beginning
of Section 16
Definitions
Decision altitude (DA) or decision height (DH)

DA

Mean Sea Level

Decision altitude (DA) or decision height (DH) A specified altitude or height in the
precision approach at which a missed approach must be initiated if the required visual
reference to continue the approach has not been established.
Decision altitude is referenced to mean sea level and decision height is referenced to
threshold elevation.
Whereas as in CAT I operation you may find minima based on DA and on DH, for CAT II
and CAT III approaches only DH is used.
Beginning
of Section 17
Definitions
Alert Height
The height above which an autoland should be discontinued and a missed
approach initiated if a failure occurs in either the ACFT Automatic landing system or
the relevant ground equipment.
An autoland may be continued if such a failure occurred below alert height. This
alert height is a limitation and depends on the ACFT type.

Beginning
of Section 18
DH & AH CONCEPT
Decision Height Concept:
At Decision height the pilot must decide if the visual references adequate to safely
continue the approach have been established.
• If the visual references have not been established, a go-around must be executed.
• If the visual references have been established, the approach can be continued.
However, the pilot may always decide to execute a go-around if sudden degradations in
the visual references or a sudden flight path
deviation occur.
The DH is measured by means of radio-
altimeter and is always limited applicable
CAT II / CAT III Minima or Obstacle Clearance
Height (OCH), whichever is higher. Beginning
of Section 19
DH & AH CONCEPT
Alert Height Concept:
Alert height is provided in FCOM and used for a fail-operational landing system in
Category III operations.
• Above AH, a go-around must be
initiated if a certain failure affects the
fail-operational landing system. The
list of these failures is provided in
respective FCOM.
• Below AH, the approach will be
continued (except if autoland is lost).
The AH is linked to the very very low probability of failure(s) of the automatic landing
system in modern aircraft. Beginning
of Section 20
Definitions
Altitude Loss at Go Around (GA)
It is the height loss between the initiation of the GA and the end of descent. It is
used to determine the minimum DH for CAT III operations.

A/C Type Altitude Loss at GA

Initiation 60 to 100 50 40 30 20
Height (ft)
A330 31 26 21 16 11
A320 30 30 28 24 19
Beginning
A321 29 29 26 20 14 of Section

A318 25 25 18 16 14

21
Low Visibility Weather

LVO Course
Content

22
Low Visibility Weather
 Fog

 Mist

 Smoke / Pollution

 Sand and Dust

Storms

Beginning
of Section 23
Fog
• Fog is the suspension of very
small water droplets or minute
ice crystals in the air (relative
humidity 100%) resulting in a
decreased horizontal visibility
less than 1000 m.

• Fog can form in a number of

ways or types as in next slides.

Beginning
of Section 24
Radiation Fog
• A Fog formed by nocturnal
radiation cooling of the earth’s
surface.
• This cools the adjacent air to a
degree sufficient to cause
condensation of the water vapor
within the air.
• Radiation fog has a thin layer
(less than 300 ft).
• Strong wind or sunrise can
dissipate the radiation fog

Beginning
of Section 25
Advection Fog
• A fog which forms in the lower part
of a moist air mass moving over a
cold surface land or water.
• Thicker than Radiation Fog (more
than 1000 ft)
• More outspread (into large region,
country, …)
• Persistent: its dissipation is
uncertain during short winter days.
• Wind stop or rotation is a
dissipation factor.
• Wind strengthening may transform
it into stratus cloud type
Beginning
of Section 26
Costal Fog
• It is the maritime Advection fog that
spreads over land with sea breeze.

Beginning
of Section 27
 Upslope Fog
• A fog formed on windward slopes
by forced ascent of air which causes
adiabatic expansion and cooling.

DAMP AIR

Beginning
of Section 28
Evaporation Fog

• A fog formed within a cold

and stable air mass by
rapid evaporation from an
underlying warm water
surface.

Beginning
of Section 29
Frontal Fog
• A fog associated with frontal
zone and frontal passages.
• Frontal-passage fog results
from the mixing of warm and
cold air masses in the frontal
zone or by sudden cooling of
air over moist surface.

Beginning
of Section 30
Mist (BR)
• Mist is a cloud of tiny water
droplets suspended in the
air near the earth’s surface
reducing visibility to the
lesser extent than fog,
normally:
 Higher than or equal to
1km but less than 5km
 Relative humidity is
normally between 70%
and 100%

Beginning
of Section 31
Smoke / Pollution (FU)
Smoke and Pollution Reduces visibility drastically and is not affected by
humidity.

Beginning
of Section 32
Sand /Dust Storms (SA, DU, DS, SS)
• Characterized by sand
and/or dust lifted by
turbulent wind up to very
high heights that may travel
over a very considerable
distance.

Beginning
of Section 33
Low Visibility Requirements
 Flight Deck Crew
 Aerodrome Facilities
 Aircraft
 Company Opspecs LVO Course
Content

34
Flight Deck Crew
Requirements

Beginning
of Section 35
A. Flight Deck Crew Requirements
In order to be able to operate below CAT I, or even takeoff in low visibility both PF
and PM (Capt. & F/O) must be qualified and current to conduct any LVO (LVTO / CAT
II/III approaches). They must complete the following training:
• Ground Training
• Flight Simulator Training and Check
• Line Training
Before conducting CAT II/III operations the pilot-in-command must meet the
following requirements:
I. Initial/upgrade captains: 150 hours pilot-in-command time on type with
Saudia.
II. Transition captains: 100 hours pilot-in-command time on type with Saudia.

Beginning
of Section 36
 A. Flight Deck Crew Requirements … cont.
• Ground Training
It is covered by this courseware you are currently reviewing.
• Flight Simulator Training and Check
A minimum of 6 approaches have to be performed including normal and abnormal operations,
standard operating procedures, LVTO, pilot incapacitation, go around, transition to visual flight and
landing, AUTOLAND, engine failure, aircraft system and ground equipment failures, landing capability
downgrade and manual go around.
• Line Training
One aircraft AUTOLAND under supervision is required during line training.
• Recurrent Training & Checking
Recurrent flight training should include at least:
• one Category III approach to a landing if the pilot has not had recent Category III or simulated
Category III experience, and one approach requiring a go-around from a low altitude below Alert
Height or Decision Height prior to touchdown, and
• One rejected takeoff in LVTO, with an engine failure near but prior to V1.
Beginning
of Section 37
Aerodrome Facilities
Requirements

Beginning
of Section 38
B. Aerodrome Facilities:
NAV AIDS
Saudia is approved to use ILS facilities for LVO CAT II and CAT III approaches and
landings. The system provides:
(a) Guidance Information: localizer, glide slope;
(b) Range Information: marker beacon, DME; and
(c) Visual Information: approach lights, touchdown and centerline lights, runway lights.

Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)

When installed with the ILS and specified in the approach procedure, DME may be used
in lieu of the OM or to establish other fixes on the localizer course.

Beginning
of Section 39
B. Aerodrome Facilities:
NAV AIDS
Marker Beacon
When an aircraft passes over a marker beacon, the pilot will receive the indications in
the PFD. There are three marker beacons associated with an ILS:
1. OM (outer marker) – indicates position where aircraft at proper altitude on localizer
will intercept Glide Slope.
2. MM (middle) – indicates position approximately 200 ft above TDZ elevation and
3,500 ft from threshold.
3. IM (Inner) indicates position where aircraft is at a designated decision height (DH) on
glide path after MM.
Compass Locator
Compass locator transmitters are often situated at the MM and OM sites and generally
carry Transcribed Weather Broadcast (TWEB) information. The outer locator transmits
the first two letters, and the middle locator transmits the last two letters of the localizer
identification group.
Beginning
of Section 40
 B. Aerodrome Facilities … Cont.
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
ILS Characteristics and Limitations 10 NM

Localizer :
Transmitter operates on 10˚
35˚
40 Channels within 108.1 to 111.95 MHz. 18 NM
Normal localizer coverage limit is shown here:
The same area applies to a
back course when provided.
LOCALIZER
ANTENNA RUNWAY
ILS Localizer coverage
is not reliable outside of these shaded areas.
Glide Slope:
Transmitter operates on 25 NM
40 Channels within 329.15 to 335.0 MHz
Glide path (3°) intersects MM at 200 ft and OM at 1400 ft 17 NM

Beginning
of Section 41
B. Aerodrome Facilities … Cont.
ILS Protection
ILS protection is required from disturbances to localizer and glide slope course signals occurring when vehicles or
aircraft are operated near the localizer and glide slope antennas. ATC issues protection instructions as follows:
(a) Weather Conditions: Ceiling <800 ft / visibility <3200m – protection is provided for
1. ILS critical area:
The area around the localizer and glide path antennas
where vehicles and aircraft (except landing/departing
aircraft), are not authorized to be in or over during all
ILS operations.
2. ILS sensitive area:
The area extending beyond the critical area where the
parking and/or movement of vehicles and aircraft is
controlled.
The ILS beam is also protected by longitudinal separation
between aircraft on landing or take-off. Under these
weather conditions holding below 5000 ft between OM and airport is not authorized as it may cause localizer
signal variation.
Beginning
of Section 42
B. Aerodrome Facilities … Cont.
ILS Protection

(b) Weather Conditions: Ceiling >800 ft / visibility

>3200m – No protection is provided.
Under these conditions flight crew should advise the
tower if they will conduct an AUTOLAND or COUPLED
approach to ensure that ILS critical/sensitive areas are
protected when the aircraft is inside the ILS MM.

CAUTION: Flight crew are cautioned to be especially alert and

maintain positive aircraft control whether or not the autopilot is
engaged and coupled to ILS, because vehicles not subject to ATC
may cause momentary deviation to ILS course on glide slope
signals. Also critical areas are not protected at uncontrolled airports.

Beginning
of Section 43
B. Aerodrome Facilities … Cont.
Visual Aids
Aerodrome Lighting System
Watch the AERODROME LIGHTING SYSTEM VIDEO below
Watch the RUNWAY LIGHTING SYSTEM VIDEO below

TDZ Lights
900 M

Threshold
300 M 300 M

Cross Bar
900 Meters Width 30 M

150 M Barrette

Sequenced
Beginning
of Section Flashing 44