Figure 242 and Legend 27: RNAV (GPS) RWY 36, Little Rock (LIT), with the rate-of-descent table
FAA-CT-8080-3F · Instrument Rating supplement · asked on the Instrument Rating test
1 FAA question that refer to this figure
Question 1 · Instrument Rating
(Refer to FAA-CT-8080-3F, Figure 242 and Legend 27.) You have been cleared for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 approach to LIT. At a groundspeed of 105 knots, what is the vertical descent angle and rate of descent on final approach?
- A.2.82 degrees and 524 feet per minute.
- B.3.00 degrees and 557 feet per minute.
- C.4.00 degrees and 550 feet per nautical mile.
Show answer and explanation
Correct: B. 3.00 degrees and 557 feet per minute.
The profile view of the LIT RNAV (GPS) RWY 36 chart shows a 3.00-degree descent angle with a 50-foot TCH (the 4.00 degrees in the note is the VGSI angle, which is not coincident). A 3-degree path is about 318 feet per nautical mile, and at 105 knots groundspeed (1.75 NM per minute) that is about 557 feet per minute; interpolating the Legend 27 table for 3.0 degrees between 90 knots (478) and 120 knots (637) gives the same figure. 550 feet per nautical mile is not a rate of descent at all.
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