Most Challenging Instrument Approach

[Dutch]

Looking for difficult approaches to shoot in the sim. I'd like the most whack'd out crap you ever seen.

Dutch

 

[GumbyDarnit]

Look at the approaches at Roswell NM. There was one we called the widow maker whilst in UPT. I heard a Colonel talk about it in the Officer's Club at Randolph just yesterday. More than 20 years since I flew it but I think it will be self evident which on it is when you look at it. You could also look at Yuma MCAS, there is one there that arcs at 6nm.

Gumby

 

[LR25]

Guatamala City. I forget the runway, but its a circling DME/ ILS in the mountains.

 

[midlifeflyer]

The VOR/DME or TACAN Z Rwy 15 at Martin State in Maryland makes for an interesting DME approach:

http://www.myairplane.com/databases/approach/NorthEast/MTN_vd_t Z r15.pdf

 

[Wang Chung]

Here's a couple weird ones that I have seen while doing U.S. Jepp revisions:

(PVU) Provo, UT ILS Y and Z. They look like nail-biters.

(VDZ) Valdez, AK LDA DME-C. Better sit down with a cup of coffee and study all the little details on this one.

(PACZ) Cape Romanzof LRRS, AK NDB-2. This one is weird - sort of a head-scratcher until you study it for a bit.

In my humble opinion, the grand champion of oddball approaches are at UHPP, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia (The company I used to work for had a complete international set of Jepps sitting in the office, so we would go thru them and find the really freakish ones)

Wish I could say that I've actually flown some of these...

Wang

 

[Rick1128]

The approaches to the old Hong Kong airport. Especially the ILG to the cliff and the NDB. The ILG in something heavy like a 747 can be a real trip in and of itself.

 

[VFR on Top]

The VOR/DME into Aspen, CO (ASE); getting it down for a landing is challenging enough, but the missed is definitely half the fun.

The PVU VOR approach looks interesting too, using FFU as the IAF.

 

[bobbysamd]

Interesting Oklahoma City approaches

I remember the VOR-B into Clarence Page in Oklahoma City was challenging for me as an instrument student. It has an intersection as the FAF and a three-mile final approach segment to a circle-to-land. It was challenging in my 172; I could just imagine how it was for a faster airplane.

(I have tried a couple of time to paste links to the plate for this approach off the above-referenced web page, to no avail. )

Wiley Post had a VOR-C approach with an intersection FAF and a holding pattern. I believe that approach has been decomissioned.

 

[dasmith]

I like approaches at Asheville, NC and Roanoke, VA (LDA) because of the mountains. Another tear jerker is at SAV (Sav, GA) ILS 36 with a slam-dunk missed approach into ILS 9 or any such ball buster.
ds

 

[Guillotine007]

midlife is correct. the vor dme tacan z approach into balt state is the worst. a dme arc straight into a runway...missed to another dme arc, around restricted airspace in DC, non standard intersection hold. my absolute favorite approach to do for currency.

 

[bobbysamd]

Sim idea

Try this when shooting approaches in the ground trainer:

"Fly" the ground trainer at its maximum "speed." Things happen much faster and make even the most boring approach interesting - like flying an appoach in the Concorde. Try it when practicing DME arcs. It's really a lot of fun, and challenging, especially for the 5 DME variety. It'll really help you learn to stay ahead of the "airplane." Dial up extra winds and unrealistic crosswind components to make it more interesting and challenging. It's good preparation if you have an interview coming up and you are certain the sim ride will not be in an AST-300.

One other idea is to fly as many different and unfamiliar approaches as possible in the sim. You learn little when you keep practicing the ones you know. Moreover, you will soon realize that approaches are essentially the same insofar as the same principles of executing them apply to all. Practice your approach brief and in-range procedures, etc., while "shooting" them. You will learn how to pick up the nuances of individual approaches faster.

 

[Dutch]

5 DME arc

Allright, I know that 5 DME arcs make it more challanging but the TERPS restricts an arc to 7nm or greater. Is it realistic to expect a student to be able to shoot a 5nm arc or are you using it to simply challange and improve skills?

Dutch

 

[bobbysamd]

DME Arcs

I recall seeing an approach with a real 5 DME arc. Just the same, it's still good practice for your students. I recall that PTS completion standards might be to hold it ± 1 NM, but it can be held ± 0.2. Try a 5 DME arc at 160 kts or better sometime.

Now, as a practical matter, I do not believe that ATC gives DME arcs all that often. I never got one, though I always requested the DME arc to the ILS at DAB for my FSI students. As you are aware, you'll usually just get vectors, but shooting DME arcs has to be in your bag of tricks and is a great skill-builder to boot.

Good luck with your efforts.

 

[buckdanny]

If you have access to European plates, have a look at the approaches for Insbruck, Austria.

Buck

 

[LJDRVR]

Hands down the ILS DME-1 Rwy 01 at MGGT. (Guatemala City)

I don't have a link but picture this: Cross the co-located VOR at 9000 msl, tracking outbound on the 165 degree radial. At DME 6 start a right descending turn to to join the localizer on a 014 course, with a 2700 foot altitude loss. Do not exceed 7 DME or CFIT may result. try to join up with the glideslope from below so you may use the ILS mins as opposed to the LOC mins. Almost always break out pretty close to minimums, usually rainy, windy contaminated runway. Usually at night for my company.

My second choice would be ANY Learjet approach flown into Keflavik Iceland with the WX at minimums. Thankfully, I don't have to do the NAT stuff anymore.

 

[chperplt]

If you're in a graphical simulator (Level C,D), take a simple approach and make it challenging.. Something real word..

ILS 24 into ACK... Fog starts at 300 feet with surface vis of 1800 rvr. Put in a nice tailwind and make it more real world!!


It may not sound challenging, but it is.

 

[tataki]

try the vor/dme ot tacan rwy 15 at KMTN
the arc dme will take direct to the runway and the missed approach is very interesting.

Good luck

 

[buckdanny]

Hey Tataki!

Where do you think I got the idea for that approach? Check out the 5th post

Let's do Guatemala City on Tuesday

Buck

 

[tataki]

i put it there, it is chalenging

 

[jergar999]

Bobby,

When your posts equal your total time, I owe you a lunch at the Perfect Landing.