Navigational
equipment required:By Andrew Herd
Navigational
equipment required:Standard basic avionics fit plus VOR indicator. No DME is required, although optional.
The tutorial is written for Steve Small's Cessna 182RG flight model, although the Microsoft default Cessna 182RG could be used. If you want to try it with something more exciting once you are used to the procedure, a C-130 would be a natural.
The Kodiak scenery by Dennis Waggoner for FS2000 will add to the experience.
Kodiakvor.zip - extract all these files into your \FS2000\pilots folder
This is a non-precision VOR approach and the tutorial assumes that you understand the basics of VOR navigation.
Please make sure you have Indicated Airspeed (IAS) set. If you have True Airspeed set, the instructions which follow will make no sense at all. Also, ensure that you do not have gyro drift checked under the realism settings, unless you are proficient at making corrections for this. Do not use the GPS on pain of death. If you do not have appropriate approach plates, click on the image at the top of this page to view a Final Approach plate courtesy of Georges Lorsche.
Situation 1: select flight Kodiak182rgnowind
We
are going to fly the VOR approach with the procedure turn on this plate, although
two no-procedure turn approaches using DME arcs are also shown. Make yourself
familiar with the approach, noting the TDZE is 26 feet.
The aircraft is inbound to the IAF, which is the Kodiak (ODK) VOR. Altitude is 3500 feet and while there is 3/8 cloud cover there is no wind. You are placed far enough away from the VOR to enable you to trim the aircraft to fly hands-off.
The VOR 1 needle will begin to deflect as you reach the VOR, and you are only a few miles away to begin with, so don't chase it too obsessively as you near the beacon. As you approach the VOR, twist your heading bug to 048 degrees, which is the outbound course. As soon as you are over the VOR, turn onto the outbound course and twist your OBS to 048, checking that the flag is reading "from" the VOR. Stabilise the aircraft and then prepare for the descent by reducing throttle and RPM as necessarys. Although the plan view shows that you have ten miles (measured from ODK) to accomplish the initial approach segment, it shouldn't be necessary to use all that distance in the Cessna. You have to accomplish a descent to 1600 feet, which could be achieved in an easy three minutes with a 600 foot per minute descent, covering about 6 miles if you are doing 120 knots, four if you drop some flap and pull 80 indicated. When you reach 1600 feet, retrim, then increase power slightly and turn outbound on the procedure turn on a course of 003 degrees, setting the timer as you do so. If you are using the DME, you should commence the outbound leg of the procedure turn before 8 miles from ODK.
While
outbound, twist the heading bug and the OBS to 228 degrees, making sure that
you don't lose any altitude or stray off course at all. At one minute outbound,
stop the clock and begin a turn onto 183 and hold that heading until the VOR
needle begins to center - don't wait until it actually centers, or you will
overshoot the inbound course and your intermediate approach section will begin
with a lot of snaking which will cost you several beers in Kodiak. Once you
are established on track, reduce RPM and throttle and descend to 800 feet. You
can do this at a fairly leisuredly rate of around 400 feet per minute, but make
sure that the VOR needle stays centered, and make any alterations of heading
you need to keep it so. You can also take the opportunity to reset the timer.
Whatever you do, DO NOT DESCEND BELOW 800 FEET.
The FAF is at the ODK VOR, and when you the VOR flag changes to "from" you may descend to the minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 580 feet and can then conduct a "straight-in" approach from that altitude as long as you have 2 and a half miles of visibility - in practice you are assured of this if you can see Kodiak from the VOR. However, regardless of how good vis may be, it is good practice to start the timer as you cross the FAF. This should be such an ingrained habit that you never forget to do it. In the Cessna it should take you about two minutes to reach the missed approach point (MAP) from the VOR, which is 2.7 miles from ODK if you are using DME. If you are not visual, you may not descend any lower than 580 feet and you should conduct a missed approach procedure when you reach the MAP - but on this flight that won't be a problem.
The only trouble with this approach is that the final approach segment is at a slight angle to runway 25. Don't fly straight in or you will have to do some fancy footwork over the threshold - not impressive. Once you are visual, it is is permissible to swing slightly wide of 228 in order to do finals on the centerline.
Situation 2: Crosswind - select Kodiak182rgnowind
I
inadvertently set this one up and for some reason it provides a most evil crosswind
with lots of gusts.While this situation wouldn't be a problem in a heavier aircraft,
it is quite hairy in the Cessna, and you will have to concentrate a little harder
to get a perfect ten. Remember that you lose marks for straying off track, and
that is exactly what that wind is trying to do - so keep those needles centered!
Situation 3: Missed approach - select Kodiak182rgmissed
In this one I have set the visibility to less than the minimums, so you will have to execute a missed approach at the MAP. When you reach the MAP, increase power and RPM, clean up the aircraft and make a climbing left hand turn to 4000 feet, heading towards the ODK VOR where you should make a teardrop entry into the holding pattern and nurse your grievances.
Andrew Herd
