For the VOR approaches, you probably want to get down more or less on the
steps. You'll need the time to find the airport if you do break out in many
cases. You don't however have to execute the approach as steps unless the
altitudes are depicted as mandatory altitudes (line above and below the
number). If it is a long approach, there is no need to go bombing down to the
next altitude as you cross each stepdown. Bby the same token you don't want to
be too far above the min crossing altitude when you cross it, otherwise you're
not going to have enough room to get down with a reasonable descent rate.
Ideally, you would decend at a rate that got you to the min crossing altitude as
you passed the next stepdown fix, but that usually won't happen.

Now on an ILS, you should be following the glideslope if it is working. The
stepdowns there are for a localizer only approach. Note that staying high on
the ILS until intercepting the GS will never put you in a position to get a
false GS: You'll still intersect the glideslope from underneath.

Tim J wrote:

tim

"David Brooks" wrote in message
...
Is there any problem with controllers or examiners if I cross a stepdown
fix
several hundred feet above the depicted altitude? I believe that,
legally,
I can be at any altitude above the crossing minimum, but would this be a
bust of the PTS +/-100 tolerance, or cause a problem for ATC?

For example, take the SEA VOR 34L/R approach. Assume you are cleared for
the
approach at 5000ft. Profile is 5000 at FACTS - 6nm - 3000 at MILLT -
6.7nm -
1600 at DONDO, which is the last fix before descent to the MDA. I can set
up
a nice smooth descent at 300fpnm, arrive at 1600ft well before DONDO, and
avoid even thinking about a level-off by crossing MILLT something above
3200ft. Would that be a checkride ding?

-- David Brooks



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