Standard Alignment

FAA-S-8081-9E (PTS) — Flight Instructor Instrument, Helicopter · Area of Operation VIII. Instrument Approach Procedures · Task: Precision Approaches, Missed Approach & Circling

PTS Area VIII — Instrument Approach Procedures ILS/LPV to a DA; false glideslope Missed approach (the 5 C’s) Circling approach & loss-of-visual go-around

⚑ FLAG (Walter): PTS references, not ACS codes — confirm against FAA-S-8081-9E.

Teaching Precision Approaches, Missed & Circling

Coach the ILS/LPV to a decision altitude, a timely missed approach, and a safe circle-to-land.

By the end of this lesson you can:

Teach the ILS and LPV approach to a decision altitude (DA) and the DA decision.
Teach intercepting the glideslope from below and avoiding the false glideslope.
Teach the missed approach (fly first, reprogram second) and the published track.
Teach circling and the immediate missed approach on loss of visual contact.

1 · Precision & LPV

Teach the ILS (localizer + glideslope) and WAAS LPV to a DA: intercept the glideslope from below at the published altitude (avoiding the false glideslope), keep the needles centered with small inputs, and make the DA decision binary — visual and in position, or go missed.

2 · Missed approach

Teach the missed approach as a planned escape: power/climb, clean up, fly the published track, communicate, and reprogram only after the aircraft is climbing on track (the 5 C’s). Brief it before starting down.

3 · Circling

Teach circling at/above the circling MDA within the protected area, keeping the runway in sight, and the immediate missed approach on loss of visual contact — a climbing turn toward the airport, then the published miss. Emphasize how accident-prone circling is.

4 · Watch

Curated reference clip — “How to Fly an ILS Approach | Glideslope Intercept | Approach Clearance,” FlightInsight (YouTube), verified via oEmbed. Embedded with the creator's player; we don't host or alter it.

5 · Reference sources

Use the authoritative references

📄 Instrument Procedures Handbook (FAA-H-8083-16) — Precision, Missed & Circling 📄 Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15B)

Your aircraft: approach speeds/category and avionics are aircraft-specific — teach the trainer’s LPV capability and circling category/speed.

✍️ Fill in for the aircraft you fly the trainer’s precision/LPV capability and the missed/circling technique you teach — confirm with your CFII.

⚑ FLAG (Walter): the R44 is VFR-certificated; confirm the IFR trainer/sim and avionics the student actually uses, and that all instrument procedures and the required inspections match that installation.

Risk management (the “Consider”): the precision-approach killers are the false glideslope (intercept from below) and continuing below DA not visual; circling adds loss of visual contact. Teach a binary DA decision, an early/stabilized missed approach flown on the published track first, and the immediate climbing-turn miss if the runway is lost while circling.