B737 flight crew question phl runway 27R ILS approach procedure.

Attributes
ACN	531158
Time
Date	200111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon tower : far.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 27r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	531158
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The clearance given by phl approach control is improper for the published ILS runway 27R at phl. We were vectored to final at 4000 ft. When given a turn to final, we were cleared to maintain 4000 ft until established on the localizer, clear ILS runway 27R. However, when viewing the published ILS runway 27R, the first officer and I see no legal way to descend out of 4000 ft until the OM at speez. This is due to the holding pattern which is integral to the approach. When vectored for a straight-in, how do we know we are within 1 mi of speez and are established on the approach and therefore legal to descend to 2100 ft? I called the FAA facility after landing and they saw no problem with the clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC QUESTION PHL RWY 27R ILS APCH PROC.

Narrative: THE CLRNC GIVEN BY PHL APCH CTL IS IMPROPER FOR THE PUBLISHED ILS RWY 27R AT PHL. WE WERE VECTORED TO FINAL AT 4000 FT. WHEN GIVEN A TURN TO FINAL, WE WERE CLRED TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC, CLR ILS RWY 27R. HOWEVER, WHEN VIEWING THE PUBLISHED ILS RWY 27R, THE FO AND I SEE NO LEGAL WAY TO DSND OUT OF 4000 FT UNTIL THE OM AT SPEEZ. THIS IS DUE TO THE HOLDING PATTERN WHICH IS INTEGRAL TO THE APCH. WHEN VECTORED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN, HOW DO WE KNOW WE ARE WITHIN 1 MI OF SPEEZ AND ARE ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH AND THEREFORE LEGAL TO DSND TO 2100 FT? I CALLED THE FAA FACILITY AFTER LNDG AND THEY SAW NO PROB WITH THE CLRNC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.