On Sat, 12 Jun 2010 16:40:22 +0100, "Richard J."
wrote:
Bruce wrote on 12 June 2010 14:19:38 ...
From Wikipedia: [re Gatwick]
"The main runway operates with a Category III Instrument Landing
System. The northern runway does not have an Instrument Landing System
and, when it is in use, arriving aircraft use a combination of
Distance Measuring Equipment and assistance from the approach
controller using surveillance radar, or where equipped and subject to
operator approval, an RNAV (GNSS) Approach, which is also available
for the main runway. On all runways, considerable use is made of
continuous descent approach to minimise environmental effects of
incoming aircraft, particularly at night."
....

The last sentence refers to a higher altitude approach which means
pilots have to lose height rapidly to regain the traditional glide
path on final approach.

That's a misleading description, as a conventional approach in which an
aircraft is directed to fly successively at a number of different
altitudes in level flight is more likely to involve rapid descents from
one level to the next. With CDA, the aim is to allow an aircraft to
descend continuously at 3 degrees, with consequent benefits to fuel burn
and noise. For Heathrow and Gatwick, CDA applies from leaving the
holding stack at about 7000 ft and typically 25 miles from the airport.

See "Basic Principles of the Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) for the
Non-Aviation Community" at
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/68/Basic_Principles_CDA.pdf


Thanks, Richard.

It wasn't a misleading description, it was just plain wrong. So thank
you for being so polite. ;-)