EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 4200; Flight Crew Type 2000
Confusion; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors; Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
We were coming into ABQ at night in VMC (Visual) conditions from LAX. We were performing FO (First Officer) OE (Operating Experience) and since this was the first leg together with a new FO; I decided to fly the leg into ABQ due to the challenging visual approach to runway 26. We briefed the 26 visual using the Airport Facility Chart; airport diagram; and [SOP]. We told ATC that we needed a right downwind for 26 per the [SOP] requirement. I set up the NAV FIX page with a 079 bearing and a 3; 6; and 9-mile rings to use to judge what altitude we should be at different distanced. I planned on turning at the 3-mile ring because it's from the airport center and not the end of the runway since we have to turn within 2.5 mile of the runway when landing 26.We were vectored onto the downwind for 26 by approach and cleared for the visual approach when we had the airport in sight. I had trouble making runway 26 clearly on the downwind due to the numerous runways lit up along with some nearby roads that are well lit. I was asking the FO to help guide me since he had a better view being on the right side. I remembered from about a year ago doing the visual to 26 at night that it's hard to see the runway until you are almost lined up with it. Using the guidance from the FO along with the preview needle aligned with the runway I turned base and was going down to 6200 FT for the base to final turn. I knew it would be a little high when I rolled out on final but I would rather be a tad high than be low.When I began the right base to final turn I then got a clear sight of the runway once the wing dipped and made it easier to see. We were high and close in. I had not been able to see the threshold until that moment. I then told the FO that we will be going around and we started the go around. We went around and asked for a visual to 21 since I had clearly seen that while setting up for the 26 visual. Again; we asked for a right downwind per the [SOP]. Again; I was not able to see it until I dipped the wing down to turn base to final. We were high and had overshot to the east. I told the FO to tell tower that we were overshooting and would be correcting. It took some wrangling to get the plane configured and on proper glide path. I had to have a slightly high rate of descent to get on glide path and I was focusing so much on getting back on glide path that at about 1000 AGL I saw my rate of descent was about 1000 FPM but was decreasing. I considered going around but with it correcting and right at the limit I decided to continue. We made an uneventful landing on runway 21 and taxied to the gate.The visual approach into runway 26/21 at night in ABQ is probably one of the most challenging and high-risk approaches we do. It's something we don't train for specifically; and one that has tight tolerances and is very difficult to do at night.I would say the top suggestion is to get these planes RNP (Required Navigation Performance) capable. Even [Other] Airlines said they were prohibited from doing a night visual to runway 26 and had to do a RNP approach if ATC wanted them to land on 26. They elected to take the visual to runway 21.Something we could do at [Company] to make this safer and easier would be to allow us to use the RNP approach to augment a visual approach. The approach is not even in the FMS so it is not an option now.Given how hard the runways are to see at night if you're not perfectly aligned with them it would probably help to require ATC to give vectors to final at a reasonable altitude and distance from the runway. We could also request that ATC turn the runway lights on the brightest setting.I might also suggest either removing the right pattern requirement from the [SOP] or not sending FO OE pairings to ABQ at night. As LCA (Line Check Airman) it was nearly a single pilot visual when I could barely see where the runway was as my FO; while not incompetent; was unsure of how much guidance he needed to give me. If I remember; last time I came in here at night and did the visual to 26 I had a very helpful FO who gave me constant and insightful updates to where I was when I was on the right base.I would also suggest some simulator training for nighttime visual approaches to 26/21 that includes instruction on a helpful way to set up some form of situational awareness on the FMS/MFD and includes poor vectors from ATC. I am not blaming ATC but they were not much help with the visual approaches.It might help to have LOSA (Line Operations Safety Auditor) observers on some of these ABQ night flights. You could also have the training center teach how to build points off the end of the runway. As of now; it's discouraged in the simulator center to do this. For example; you could do ABQ Runway 26/076/2.5 and then set it for 3.0 degrees. It should build a point that would allow you to have some form of vertical guidance. You could then also build points on the base leg at 3.0 degrees to further assist in being stable and being able to turn within 2.5 miles. I would also recommend that [Company] be prohibited from visual approaches to 26 at night.
Embraer 175 Captain reported night visual approaches unsafe with current aircraft equipment; company training and procedures.