I figured something like this might be fun to do with fellow mudspikians! It’s very simple, fly a approach as close to the charts as possible in either pre-determined visibility conditions or whatever you feel like. When done post a video here and we can discuss what went wrong or right, I always watch my approach in the replay, and with the wealth of knowledge here I am sure something can be gained!
So, first up is a classic, a turn over a big mountain, decent over water, and coming down on a ILS system that is not actually at a runway! Much like Hong Kong but not quite It’s PAJN, Juneau INTL!
As with any approach in the mountains - stay on the black line…!
The biggest takeaway from that approach (to me) is that if you make it to the missed approach point (MAP) and just happen to break out there - you are still 3,175’ above the ground just 3.2 nm from the threshold (you’d normally be at about 1,000’ there on a standard 3 degree glidepath - 300’ per nm). So you’re gonna have to circle from there…and if the weather is really crappy, keep that in mind.
My first valiant attempt, third ILS approach in the C90, and I’ve been experimenting a bit with the flap settings since the Carenado manual leaves to be desired as usual.
Hand flown from departure to landing, climbed in the valley to 6300, turned to 114.00, after that flew 280 and a minute or so later started a gentle 20 degree bank right to turn 026 and intercept the ILS. At this point I had no idea on what the decent profile would look like so erm, I kinda winged it based on my vast C90 ILS experience
Kept somewhere between 500 and 1000ft decent and checked at the NM/ALT markers. from there on I adjusted the decent rate and took the decrease in airspeed into account. Once I broke through the clouds it got a bit better.
I’ll record another approach with OBS tomorrow, that approach I will do without flaps as well.
Hey, maybe if I ride shotgun, we could make this thing happen @Rhinosaurus!
BTW, are there any multicrew flight simulations out there? … like where someone could come in as copilot? X-Plane addon maybe? That would be really cool.
Guess I had that coming…
I did the math, and 3200’ in 3.2NM is 9.3 degrees. Our “normal” steep approaches are 4.5 deg. So it’s about twice as steep.
The DHC-8 100/200, with full flap (35), max RPM (Condition levers fully forward at 1200RPM) and at threshold speed, drops like a rock.
I just love that aircraft!
How do pilots handle these differences in charts? Is there one allowed publisher or does it depend on company SOP? Local authority published papers? I’m a bit out of my depth here so to say
They’re basically the same, just publish the information differently, I think is the main point. Different providers have more or less information, is what I’ve read.
Jeppesen charts are expensive but we use them mainly because they have worldwide coverage. I can shoot an approach into Austin, Texas, Nice, France or Queenstown,New Zealand and the charts will have the same format. That reduces a pilot’s workload considerably.
We use the Jeppesen charts also.
Different charts is mostly a matter of learning where to look for the info. But it helps if you use the same design, and don’t mix.
It’s PAJN, Juneau INTL!
