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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.canadava.com/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

This glossary is written for virtual airline and flight simulation use within Virtual Air Canada Airline. It is not intended as a real-world aviation reference.
Category (CAT) refers to the classification system for ILS (Instrument Landing System) precision approaches, defining the minimum weather conditions under which a specific approach may be conducted. The categories are based on two key parameters: Decision Height (DH) or Decision Altitude (DA) - the point at which the crew must either have adequate visual reference to continue or initiate a missed approach - and Runway Visual Range (RVR), which measures forward visibility along the runway surface. The standard categories are: CAT I, with a DH no lower than 200 ft and RVR of at least 550 m (or visibility of 800 m); CAT II, with a DH between 100 and 200 ft and RVR of at least 300 m; CAT IIIa, with a DH below 100 ft and RVR of at least 175 m; CAT IIIb, with a DH below 50 ft (or no DH) and RVR of 50-175 m; and CAT IIIc, which requires no DH and no RVR limitation (full autoland in zero-zero conditions, rarely certificated in practice). Each higher category requires more sophisticated ground equipment, aircraft systems (such as certified autoland capability and fail-operational flight control), and specific crew training and currency.

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In Virtual Airline Operations

At Virtual Air Canada Airline, CAT I approaches are the standard for most operations. CAT II and III approaches require specific aircraft certification and crew training that would be documented in a real operator’s Operations Specifications. In the simulator, flying a CAT II or III ILS to minimums is a useful proficiency exercise - pay attention to the lower decision heights, the reliance on autoland systems, and the importance of a stable, on-speed approach well before the decision point.
  • DA/DH - Decision Altitude/Decision Height
  • BDRT - Both Dependent Runway Thresholds
  • CDA - Continuous Descent Approach