Approach plate help...again

[RyanbATC]

Yet Another Approach Plate Question:

VOR-A into Redwood Falls, MN... I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly. I'm coming from the east and I want to start at the KUKGE fix but I'm not gps equipped. So I dial in the 283 radial off the RWF VOR and about 9 DME (say I'm traveling at 200kts), I commence a left turn perpendicular to that course (which ends up being a 190 heading or so), and reset my OBS knob to about a 110, so that way I'm twisting the knob in the correct direction as I'm arcing southwest. Once my DME reads 7 - I start the arc procedure....twist 10, center needle, turn ten, twist, turn etc etc - I can fly the arc fine.

It's just an odd thing to approach it from the east side so I wanted to make sure I was doing it correctly. Or, maybe I should go direct the VOR and then outbound on the 283 and arc SE???



Full chart available for your viewing pleasure here:
http://naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/1002/05200VA.PDF

[Brett_Henderson]

If you're comfy flying the arc, by all means enter exactly as you describe.

It's great practice to fly them this way.. but of course if you were filed, you might very well just get vectored straight in.

Whether or not you fly the procedure turn (to the VOR, out and then back in again), depends on your altitude. See where it says 'NoPT' with a qualifying altitude on the arcs ?

[RyanbATC]

Oh yeah if I were to do it for real I'd ask for vectors... but since I'm practicing - I find it more challenging to join the arc from the east... not to mention a 7 dme arc is pretty tight if you're going 160kts like I was in the citation hah

[Brett_Henderson]

OK then.. go all out

Enter the arc at 4000msl, and then fly the procedure turn.

I'm not sure if would ever be done this way.. but what the heck..LOL


Hit your arc fix..

Work your way down to around 3000msl by the time you're turning inbound..

Fly at the VOR, and then use the hold to reverse course...

Fly outbound, slowly descending to 2600msl...

Make the procedure turn as published...

Land !!

[darrenvox]

this is good to know ive never used approach plates...dont even know what they are...or how they work

[scottdba]

Ryan, if you are approaching from the east, the two most likely ways to begin the approach would be as you described, flying the arc to the southeast, or fly all the way to the VOR, then turn southbound on the 196 radial until 7 DME and accomplish a procedure turn to the inbound leg.

BTW, if you're flying a Citation class of aircraft, the panel should have an RMI on it. When on the arc, just keep the needle pointing to the VOR on your right (or left) wingtip, making small heading corrections to keep the DME where it needs to be. This method requires no constant twisting of the CDI knob, you can just set that to the inbound course, and watch for the needle to start coming in as you approach final.

One other handy tip re. DME arcs. As you are flying towards joining the arc, begin your turn at a distance equal to 1% of your groundspeed before reaching it. Makes for a pretty smooth entry