Chicago Midway Arrival/Departure Tips (KMDW)

[BizPilot]

Taking the company's 4-seat, 4-banger on an IFR trip to Chicago Midway KMDW sometime in the near future. Definitely will file IFR going in and out.

What are the typical ATC arrival routes in/out of KMDW for smaller IFR aircraft?

Any routing/IFR flight plan filing advice, or general advice?

Where should I park? Good FBO? (Millionair?)

Arriving from the West, and Departing back that way.

Thanks

 

[BoilerUP]

Atlantic has been great to me at MDW in Skyhawks a few times, I caught Million Air in the middle of their rennovation a few years back and got hosed. Plus Atlantic has warm cookies (always a plus if the pilot is concerned). I think the ramp fee is $7.00, dunno if they waive it with fuel purchase.

You're fine IFR, I went in VFR before as a private pilot and was treated wonderfully by both ATC and the 121 guys there. Don't know what you're flying, but they'll ask for 120ish or faster on the vectors & approach as long as you can give it, and often have you sidestep to 4L (which puts you near Signature) or 31L to make way for the airlines. Dunno what the fix is departing to the west, I always got Peotone then on course (as I recall, that was about straight south).

I'm sure somebody has much more recent info that I do, but I hope it helps!

 

[jetbluedog]

Hey BoilerUp - Nice Avatar!

Watch the pot holes at KMDW on the ramps. Last time I was in there, pot holes all over heck. Of course, that was when Prompt Air was still operating out of there.......anyone remember them?

 

[GravityHater]

Its just another airport, a busy one with carrier service but they will treat you well. Study the diagram before you have to taxi across all that asphalt, lots of parallel strips of pavement to confuse.

 

[Flying Illini]

Usually arriving rwy 31's, occasionally 4's or ILS to 31C circle to 22's. As mentioned before, LOTS OF INTERSECTING PAVEMENT! Have a large airport diagram handy to follow and trace your taxi route on.
Due to the traffic coming in from the south, if you are coming in from the West, you may want to file JOT (Joliet) which is usually the fix they take you to when landing on the 4's. When landing 31's or 22's, CGT (Chicago Heights) is the fix you want. Just file DIRECT after that, works every time. As said before, keep your speed up. 120 or whatever you can give them. Expect a sidestep to either 4L, 31L, or 22R as 4R, 31C, and 22L are the primary for larger aircraft.

FBO's.
Stay away from Signature, fee's are redic.
Atlantic, been in there numerous times in piston singles, never treated well, always as an after-though. Was in there recently in the King air after our falcon got stuck in maint for a few extra days, treated like crap. It seems that if you aren't in a big plane or a jet, you aren't treated well. Ramp personel are some of the worst I have come across.
MillionAir: We fly into MDW 3+ times a week with a certain owner and we have been going into MA for over a year now. We started at Sig, they raised their prices by an unbelievable amount, we then went to Atlantic, our customer wasn't treated well and (he owned a king air at the time) we never could get them to take care of us and our little plane. So MillionAir it was. We should have started here. The Facility isn't the best, but they are aware and they are working on it. Steve is the manager and he's a great guy. Nicole is the CSR who works mornings and she's terrific while Michelle and Debra are the afternoon/evening crew and they are fantastic as well. We get treated very well. No matter if we are in there in a king air or our falcon 10 or 20. And that's without buying much fuel (the flight is only 25 minutes). I haven't been in there in a piston single but I have a friend who did go in there and went to MA on my recommendation and said that he was treated great. And besides, as much as I don't like Jags, the Jaguar is the best crew-car on the field!

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

Bizpilot,

Info provided above is pretty much spot on. Probably 9 out of 10 days they are landing the 31s. If you insist on going all the way IFR and the weather is down, then you will likely get JOT, CGT, then vectors to the final. Then maintain 2,500 until established, keep your speed up, cleared ILS 31C, contact tower at RUNTS. Expect to be no higher than 5,000 around Rockford, then 3,000 crossing JOT. If the weather is good VFR, then you will probably get vectors after JOT to cut the corner and then land 31L. Don't over shoot final, there will likely be a Southwest on final for 31C. On departure the fix will be SIMMN intersection. It is out towards Rockford.

Now, you might consider filing to Lewis (LOT). They have a LOC approach, but of course you won't need that. Cancel when you have the field in site. Fly towards MDW at 2,000'. Call MDW approach 119.45 (sometimes approach is on tower 118.7) crossing the river just east of LOT. You will get cleared into the Charlie at or below 2,000'. Keep steaming towards MDW and they will give you 31L.

I always go to Atlantic, but the level of service has gone down the last year or so and the fees have gone up. If you don't have jet engines, expect to park on the city ramp right under the tower. Millionair is just past Atlantic, might be a little nicer since they remodeled. Hear they have a Jag crew car. Krispy Kream is right down the street.

 

[simbo]

One thing that might be worthy of noting if taking a single is if you have an easterly departure they will probably give you direct GIJ (Gipper, near South Bend). This route will take you over the water for a few miles.