In LVO, safety shifts from pilot vision to system integrity.
Visual references arrive late (CAT II), very late (CAT III w/ DH), or never before touchdown (CAT III NO DH). The autoflight system flies the beam, flare, land and rollout — the crew supervises, monitors and decides, catching any anomaly fast enough to act.
Approach Categories
Tap a category. Aerodrome-specific minima always come from the Lido CCI, LVO section.
CAT II
DH 100–199
RVR ≥ 300
CAT III
DH <100 / none
RVR <300 / none
CAT I. DH ≥ 200 ft; VIS ≥ 800 m or RVR ≥ 550 m. Technique: manual, or AP/FD + A/THR. Autoland possible with precautions. (OM-A 8.1.3.2.1.2)
CAT II. DH 100–199 ft, RVR ≥ 300 m. Technique: AP/FD + A/THR down to DH. Autoland mandatory in EK normal ops (OM-A 8.3.20.2.23.1 — governs over FCTM's "recommended"). Visual ref at DH: ≥ 3 consecutive lights plus a lateral element.
CAT III. DH < 100 ft or none; RVR < 300 m or none. AP/FD + A/THR + autoland mandatory; auto rollout required for DH < 50 ft or no DH. Fail-op visual ref: one centreline light. NO DH: no visual contact required before touchdown.
Aircraft Capability Ladder
Shown on the FMA 4th column once LS/LOC/APPR is pressed. Tap a rung. (FCOM DSC-22-FG-80)
The Two Gates
DH
Visual gate
Decision Height. At DH you either have the required visual references or you go around. It's about what you can see.
AH
System gate · 200 ft
Alert Height (LAND3 DUAL). Below it the decision depends only on aircraft/ground equipment status — not on seeing anything. Failure before AH → GA. Below AH a single failure needs GA only if the AUTOLAND warning triggers.
Approach & Autoland Profile
The gate-by-gate sequence from stabilised to vacated. Tap any gate. (FCOM PRO-NOR-SOP-210)
Failure — Decision by Altitude
Above 1,000 ft AGL
Approach may continue — provided ECAM actions complete, capability + required equipment checked, RVR checked / DH adjusted, briefing updated, all before 1,000 ft. Not complete by 1,000 ft → go around.
Below 1,000 ft AGL
Go around unless external visual references are sufficient — no time to reconfigure, re-check limits and re-brief.
Below 200 ft — AH (LAND3 DUAL)
Automatic approach continues unless the AUTOLAND warning triggers. A single failure otherwise does not require a go-around.
AUTOLAND Warning Logic
⚠ Light flashes below 200 ft RA in autoland when:
- the last AP disengages;
- 200–100 ft: G/S fails / deviation unavailable or excessive (≥ 1 gradation) — LAND2(3) ILS or LAND1 GLS;
- 200–15 ft: LOC fails / deviation unavailable or excessive (≥ ¼ gradation);
- one RA failed & the remaining two differ by > 15 ft;
- an LS transmitter failure below 200 ft brings the lights on.
Visual refs insufficient → GO AROUND (PF)
Visual refs sufficient → continue manually
Source: FCOM DSC-22-FG-100-20; PRO-NOR-SOP-180-C; FCTM PR-NP-SOP-190-LVO.
Two Things Crews Miss
The FMA can lie about capability›
The FMA only reflects FG-monitored equipment. Items not monitored — the autoland light, DH indication, windshield wiper/heating — can be failed with LAND2/3 still displayed. Only the MEL / tech-log check catches them. That's why "not checking the Technical Aircraft Log for LVO restrictions" is a classic error. (FCOM LIM-AFS-20)
RETARD is an order, not a reminder›
In an autoland with A/THR the RETARD auto-callout (10 ft RA) is an order — do not retard the thrust levers before it. In a manual landing, RETARD (20 ft) is only a reminder. Retarding early — especially once visual — is a listed common error. (FCOM PRO-NOR-SOP-210)