Help with IFR Flight

[nz_phoenix]

Hi,

I'm a PPL but I'd like to learn more on IFR flight. I've worked out using my flight sim how to use the VOR/DME but there is something I would just like to check.

I'm looking at the VOR/DME approach for Rotorua 18 approach. I come in from Hamilton on the 89 radial and this is where I'm not sure.

When I cross the Rotorua VOR/DME, I turn onto a 356 radial, follow it until 12 DME (at which point I should be no lower than 2600ft), then turn onto a 186 radial to follow all the way in. At 6DME I should be 1900ft, 3dme 1690 ft and if I don't have the runway visual at 1dme I call missed approach.

Can someone tell me if my interpratation is correct of all this and if not, what I have missed.

Thanks heaps.
Phoenix

[flying ginge]

Almost there mate. Have you got recent charts. I've got 2 Sep 04 in front of me. Out bound on R356 for 3.5min (Cat A/B) and not beyond 12dme. Inbound R186. The heights you mentioned have underlines meaning not below this height at this point ie. 6dme the final approach fix not below 1900, 3dme not below 1690. The advisory altitude boxes give an idea of check heights v. dme distance on the way in. And yep, 1dme if not visual, full noise and missed approach. Helpful?

[tinpis]

You could probably smell it getting closer.

[nz_phoenix]

That sounds good to me. I'm not familiar with cat's sorry, A is smaller aircraft, C is larger?

I'm also trying to work out the holds. Looking at the Totra hold on the same plate, do I enter the hold from the south on the 030 radial and then going the opposite was on the 320 radial? and what do the 142/320 mean.

I very much am apprciating the help I'm getting, its awesome.

Cheers
Phoenix

[Cypher]

Be careful with radials. You said you *come in* from Hamilton on the 89 radial.

Try to think of it as inbound to Rotorua on the 268 radial TO Rotorua. Saves confusion later on. Your on the 268 radial that radiates out from Rotorua, however you are flying TO Rottenrua.

Aircraft catergories are related to speeds. Higher the speeds, higher the catergory and hence bigger turn radius and less time to react.

To join the approach from the RO 268 radial, as I over headed the beacon, heading of 89 at no less than 4000 ft, I would turn on a heading of 176, time for 1 minute, then perform a rate 1 turn right to a track the 356 radial to refly over the beacon and commence beacon outbound RO.

I would then track the 356 beacon for 3.5 minutes, Cat B aircraft and commence a base turn right at a height no less than 2600.
I must be no lower than 1900ft at 6 DME RO and 1690 ft at 3 DME RO. I would be following the Advisory altitude table for the DME.

I would once flying at MDA, hold a MDA of 1530' which is 595' above the ground, and if not in visual contact with the approach lighting system, the runway lights, the touchdown zone lighting, the lead in light system, the runway itself, the runway end idenifier lights, threshold lights, I would go missed approach once reaching 1 DME. I would climb on tracking the RO 210 radial to a height of 4000' to enter the TOTRA hold.

To enter the TOTRA hold, I would do either a offset or parallel entry into the hold.

For a parallel entry, I would track the 210 radial FROM RO and time 1 minute, then turn at rate 1 left, to track the 210 radial TO RO, to overhead the TOTRA fix which is at 12 DME from RO on the 210 radial, then turn right at rate 1 to enter the hold.

For a offset entry, I would turn 30 degrees to the inbound, i.e a heading in this case, left to HDG 180 and hold it for 1 minute. After a minute, turn right to enter the hold at TOTRA.

All procedures are in the AIPs Vol 1 under the ENR section. ENR 1.5-13 details the entry procedures for holds.

[nz_phoenix]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I didn't quite understand the holding parterns part but thats something I think I'll learn better when I have someone to show me and I can actually do it.

Thanks everyone, it was awesome and I'm very much appreciative.

Happy New Years
Phoenix

[Sqwark2000]

Hi nz_phoenix

All procedures are in the AIPs Vol 1 under the ENR section. ENR 1.5-13 details the entry procedures for holds.

If you don't have a set of AIP documents Volumes 2 & 3 or 1 for that matter, try have a look on www.aip.net.nz where it is available for viewing and downloading for free.

Other things to look at are the chart symbology, so you can look at and fully understand a Approach plate.

Try some other Approaches. Read up on DME arcs and try the RO VOR/DME 18 via the 12nm arc

For airline style IFR try following the advisory altitudes rather than stepping down the minimum altitudes. The company I fly for flies a constant rate of descent profile, so for your RO VOR/DME 18 approach from the overhead (full teardrop approach) we would aim to be about 5000' at the start of the base turn to arrive at the advisory altitudes for the final approach phase, (wind & wether you go right out to 12nm is a consideration here) so even if it says 2600 we would be at approx 4000 @ 10nm. To start the base turn at 5000' we would then work backwards to calculate crossing the VOR at the start of the approach at approx. 8000' (starting the base turn at approx. 10nm, using 300'/Nm profile, 3000' to lose etc)

That is the desired profile, of course, other traffic and ATC can put your plans in the bin at any time and plenty of re-calculation goes on.

Good luck.

S2K