VOR/DME Approach help

pclancy

Okay just a question...this is an interesting approach to NZQN, an airport located in between loads of mountains in South New Zealand. When flying this VOR/DME approach, where abouts would you say I should I stop tracking the SH 212 radial and actually start tracking towards the airfield, whenever I get visual or at a certain distance? I can usually see the airfield from 5-10DME SH but by the time I lose height and get lined up it feels really unstable. Just wondering how a real world pilot would handle this, especially if you'd never flown in there before.

Stovepipe

Hi there,
Take it down to the Missed Appproach point/2 DME and go Missed if you don't have clear sight of the runway.Otherwise, just line up and land.
regards
Stovepipe

airvan

It helps if you remember that it's non precision approach meaning that as soon as you are visual with the runway you can manoeuvre to land. If you reach the MDA and cannot see the runway you go around. There is of course nothing stopping you staying on the radial and continuing to the MDA even if you are visual a long way out.

But that depends on the weather, for example staying on the inbound course might put you back in cloud thus causing a missed approach when in fact the airport itself might be in the clear.

In the real world you judge the conditions on the day and decide the best course of action. If there's a single layer of cloud you descend through and there's good vis underneath. You can fly visually after that. If there's varying cloud at differnent heights with occasional glimpses of the ground. It might be better to go to the MDA.

It's up to the pilot to decide.

pclancy

Cool cheers lads, I suspected that much. Its never been clearly explained to me before though. I'm lucky enough to be flying down there over Easter for an airshow nearby so I want to practice it as much as possible. lining up visually from further away makes it much easier to get stable.

donkey balls

pclancy wrote: »

Cool cheers lads, I suspected that much. Its never been clearly explained to me before though. I'm lucky enough to be flying down there over Easter for an airshow nearby so I want to practice it as much as possible. lining up visually from further away makes it much easier to get stable.

are you going take in a bit of bunji jumping while down in queenstown the nevis is the bis:D

pclancy

Nooooooooooooooo way I hate the idea of dangling from an elastic band down a gorge! Fun to watch other people do it but not for me thanks!

I will one day get the courage to jump from a plane though.

donkey balls

pclancy wrote: »

Nooooooooooooooo way I hate the idea of dangling from an elastic band down a gorge! Fun to watch other people do it but not for me thanks!

I will one day get the courage to jump from a plane though.

i did my parachute jump near lake taupo:D great country to visit if i ever managed to save a few$$$ i will be back might bring along the pilots licence as well see can i rent out a plane.

pclancy

Well if you come to wellington give me a shout and i'll go up with you, would be very cheap for you considering how crap the kiwi dollar is against the Euro right now. Current rates at Wellington Aero Club:

The Tomahawk Trainers $177.00 / hr
C172 Cessnas $196.00 / hr
Piper Archer TDJ $215.00 / hr
Piper Archer FHQ $255.00 / hr (This aircraft is presently being fitted with an EFIS display)
Piper Arrow EIF $289.00 / hr
CJ6 Nanchang MAO $320.00 / hr