Which statement accurately describes the 500' AFE stabilization criteria compared to the 1000' AFE criteria?

Which statement accurately describes the 500' AFE stabilization criteria compared to the 1000' AFE criteria?

• A. It includes all of the 1000' AFE criteria except the steady rate of descent not to exceed 1200 FPM
• B. It requires the steady rate of descent not to exceed 1000 FPM
• C. It does not require any GPWS monitoring
• D. It does not require landing gear configuration checks

Answer: (A)

Stabilized approach criteria set a clear, stable path and configuration that must be in place by a certain altitude to ensure a safe landing. The 500' AFE criteria are essentially the same as the 1000' AFE criteria, with one specific difference: the requirement relating to the steady rate of descent. By the time you reach 500' AFE, you follow all the same checks and conditions as at 1000' AFE, but the descent-rate criterion does not apply in the same way (the reference to not exceeding 1200 FPM is not required at 500' AFE). That is why this choice best describes how the 500' AFE criteria relate to the 1000' AFE criteria. The other options would imply changes to aspects (like a fixed 1000 FPM limit or removing GPWS monitoring or landing gear checks) that aren’t described by the standard 500' vs 1000' AFE stabilization comparison.

Stabilized approach criteria set a clear, stable path and configuration that must be in place by a certain altitude to ensure a safe landing. The 500' AFE criteria are essentially the same as the 1000' AFE criteria, with one specific difference: the requirement relating to the steady rate of descent. By the time you reach 500' AFE, you follow all the same checks and conditions as at 1000' AFE, but the descent-rate criterion does not apply in the same way (the reference to not exceeding 1200 FPM is not required at 500' AFE). That is why this choice best describes how the 500' AFE criteria relate to the 1000' AFE criteria.

The other options would imply changes to aspects (like a fixed 1000 FPM limit or removing GPWS monitoring or landing gear checks) that aren’t described by the standard 500' vs 1000' AFE stabilization comparison.