Chastin Seeby
PRAV 495 Aviation Professionalism
2/8/2015
14 CFR 91.175 The regulation 14 CFR 91.175 refers to takeoffs and landing under IFR conditions. This regulation is meant to pilots and their passengers safe during instrument flight, but this can only happen if the regulation is understood. There was a recent crash on a localizer DME approach where the aircraft descended to MDA and reported that he had the approach lights in sight. The pilot immediately after he reported that he had the approach lights in sight descended to 100 feet above touchdown zone elevation and struck a rising tree covered hill a few miles from the end of the runway. This crash was the cause of not fully understanding the regulation and all that it says. In section (c), Operation below DH/DA or MDA, subsection (1) states that: The aircraft is continuously in a position from which a decent to a landing on the intended runway can be made at a normal rate of decent using normal maneuvers…
The aircraft did not follow that particular part of the regulation. It is extremely important to remember that no pilot without meeting 3 things. The first has been mentioned above, the second states that: The flight visibility cannot be less than the visibility prescribed in the standard instrument approach being used
And the third is that part that most instrument rated know verbatim, and it states: (3) Except for a Category II or Category III approach where any necessary visual reference requirements are specified by the Administrator, at least one of the following visual references for the intended runway is distinctly visible and identifiable to the pilot: (i) The approach light system, except that the pilot may not descend below 100 feet above the touchdown zone elevation using the approach lights as a reference unless the red terminating bars or the red side row bars are also distinctly visible and identifiable. (ii) The threshold. (iii) The threshold markings. (iv) The threshold lights. (v) The runway end identifier lights. (vi) The visual approach slope indicator. (vii) The touchdown zone or touchdown zone markings. (viii) The touchdown zone lights. (ix) The runway or runway markings. (x) The runway lights.

Looking at this, it is assumed that (3,i) was what the pilot seemed to have mentally referred to when he had made the decision to descend down to 100 feet above the touchdown zone, but by doing so early he had broken the first part of the regulation. Pilot should not increase the descent rate just because the approach lighting system is seen. Instead, it should be seen as a signal to continue as you were until 100 feet above touch down zone is reached. Other part of the regulation to take notice of is the civil airport takeoff minimums (f). It states that no aircraft may takeoff from an airport when the weather conditions are less that prescribed for that airport by the FAA. In the case that the weather requirement are not prescribed for the airport than the follow rules apply: (i) For aircraft, other than helicopters, having two engines or less—1 statute mile visibility. (ii) For aircraft having more than two engines—1/2 statute mile visibility. (iii) For helicopters—1/2 statute mile visibility.

This is an extremely important aviation regulation since it relates to the safety of all aircraft operations. This regulation ensures the safety of general aviators to the flying public. It is the responsibility to know all parts of the regulation, and not just the parts that an examiner is going to ask about.