Definition

This article provides general guidance on setting up for an instrument approach in a modern transport-category aircraft. The guidance assumes that the aircraft is equipped with an Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS), otherwise known as glass cockpit, along with a Flight Management System (FMS). The following information serves as a broad methodology and does not supersede aircraft-specific guidance in the relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

Description

A helpful list for approach setup includes the following items, which may be modified as needed for a given aircraft type: ATIS, Build It, Bug It, Brief It, Colors, Course, Minimums, Frequency. Pilots may find it useful as a memory aid or an addition to informal notes, especially for reference near the end of multi-leg days as fatigue sets in.

• ATIS: Get the latest Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) data for current weather, and runway and approach in use. If the aircraft's FMS has a function for automatic ATIS updates, this provides a safety net against getting caught by a last-minute runway change.
• Build It: Enter the runway in use and the relevant approach into the FMS flight plan page. Ensure that the Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR), if one is in use, connects to the approach procedure at the appropriate waypoint. NOTE: At large, complex airports with more than one active runway, some STARs will specify a runway for use when that STAR is in use. (For example, the ATIS may say Runways 18L and 18R are in use, but your STAR may specify 18R.) Check the notes on the STAR diagram for such details.
• Bug It: Enter the relevant approach and landing V-speeds in the FMS performance pages. Consider any speed additions for wind gusts, icing conditions, or other factors.
• Brief It: Brief the approach. Many airlines are moving toward threat-forward briefings. Consider specific threats for the approach at hand, such as weather, equipment malfunctions, etc., rather than a rote recitation of data on the approach chart.
• Colors: Note the selected navigation source by color of the needles displayed on the Primary Flight Display (PFD). For example, an FMS-based approach will display magenta needles in most aircraft, and an ILS localizer-based approach will display green needles. If the system allows a preview mode, you may be flying a STAR on magenta needles, with an armed ILS course shown as a white needle.
• Course: Ensure that the final inbound course is set properly. If an FMS autotune function is in use, the inbound course should display automatically.
• Minimums: Ensure that the Decision Altitude (DA) or Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) is set to display on the PFD's altitude tape.
• Frequency: If using a radio-based navigation aid such as an instrument landing system (ILS) localiser, ensure that the correct frequency is set. If an FMS autotune function is in use, the frequency should set automatically, but check to make sure the autotune function worked properly. In two-pilot flight decks, it's good Crew Resource Management (CRM) to check that the other pilot's frequency and inbound course are set correctly, as well.