Valse glide slopes in Kinshasa

[rags]

PLEASE PLEASE be aware of valse glide slopes on the Kinshasa (FZAA) ILS. The JEP plate does not help with a DME distance for GS intercept either.

There are high ground about 15-18 miles out.

[126,7]

I wonder when they last had that ILS calibrated?? Surprised its even on the air!
I remember the outer marker at Jo-burg got stolen several times between 1994-1996. Dont know what anybody would want to do with it. Maybe there's a second hand market for used outer markers out there somewhere?

[rags]

They clear you down to 4500 feet on a straight in approach. The glide slope will indicate on the slope from about 24 miles out. It is allmost impossible to intercept from below. They have 2 NDB's on the approach but they hardley ever work.

[clipboard]

Ja swaer, thats Africa. The glide slope was last calibrated in 1990, and it currently has a reading of 9 degrees in stead of the usual 3 to 3,7º's. Most airlines that fly into Kinshasa shoot a letdown onto the Brazzaville ILS, and when they break cloud, they do a visual across the river into Kinshasa.

A South African Company is currently in negotiations with the RVA (Regie vois de Arrienne = Airports Company) to refurbish the Ndjili Aiport as well as all its systems. A new ILS will be installed, together with a VOR, NDB etc. The airport buildings will be upgraded as well.

ICAO & IATA will be involved, and some funding will be coming from those two bodies. Total cost estimated to be in the region of US$30 million.

Safe flying out there guys!!!

[rags]

Thanks CLIPBOARD, your 9 degrees make sence if you read the coment I posted just before yours. It scares the s:mad: out if me if your facts are straight.

[REAL ORCA]

I see in the AERAD that the slope is suppose to be 2.8 degrees. Surely it must be illegal for the ILS (glide slope) still to be switched on and coding if it is that far out!

[rags]

Welcome to deep dark Africa. Nothing is illegal

[REAL ORCA]

Of course, it must be calibrated for the Space Schuttle!!!!!!!!

[south coast]

lets face it people, there are 9 million odd people on the streets of kinshasa who cannot afford a loaf of bread, the country has been involved in a major conflict, the mineral wealth of the country has been stolen by the governing few....what do you expect?

i started flying in the congo in 2000, and the ils didnt work then....but after 3 and a bit years flying north of the jbg fir, one expects the navigational aids not to work or to give erronious readings at these airfields....

come on guys....this is africa.....if it hasnt been stolen, it is BROKEN!

[Gerund]

Reminds me of the lovely story relating to GAV VOR, south west of Joburg, a few years back.

It stopped working and they sent out a team to fix it, and then they found out why. A squatter family had moved in!

[BAKELA]

There's a problem with Addis Ababa as well. I believe a BMA A320 on approach missed a mountain by 50 feet or so and the UK CAA issued a warning to British operators. Not sure if it's the ILS or the published let-down. Unfortunately don't have any more info.

[V1 Rotate]

The Localizer at Addis aligns Rwy 25. Due to the mountains 07 is visual only. The Tower loves to give ILS break offs for the RH visual onto 7. No LH approaches are allowed as this would involve over flying the city. The extended RH DW on 7 leads straight to the mountain at about 7 miles! You have to be sharp on the base turn. I used to have a special SOP involving the base turn.
I always said that it was an accident waiting to happen especially at night.
V1 Rotate

[FIX 'N FLING]

..just a bit of history on the subject. must have been about '85 or thereabouts i was holding for takeoff at Ndjili when a viscount crashed about 17 miles out due to false glide slope. seem to remember that the only injury (crew plus the usual 20-30 odd pax seated on the floor in back) was one of the pilots had a broken foot. somebody REALLY had to have been watching over us in those days...