Need help with KLAS Runways 7L & 7R

[Breeze 17]

If KLAS runways 7L and 7R are in use how do you manage your approach as I cannot seem to find any approach plates. Can someone point me to some approach plates or enlighten me? I usually use MyAirplane.com.PMDG B737 KSJC to KLAS FUZZY6 Arrival. Winds at 120. How do I manage this approach?Sorry if this is an elementary question or not the appropriate forum, not sure where else to go.Jim Little

[Chaos81 110]

Hi Jim. Looking at the chart for the FUZZY6 arrival I'm still a little confused.Go to the bottom of the chart. You will see, "Landing McCarran Intl rwys 1L/R, 7L/R, 19L/R: Expect vectors for a visual approach prior to BLD." You can see that 7L/R are in there. Now how you are supposed to fly that if you don't have visual conditions or if you don't have ATC I couldn't tell you. Hmm..I guess I didn't help much. Now you have me wanting to figure this out.

[kmanning 12]

Hi Jim,According to the FUZZY6 STARS chart, you expect vectors for visualapproach prior to BLD. If you pull up the STARS chart for FUZZY6, you can find it at the lower page. Is this what you're looking for? If conditions do not allow you to see the runway, you'll have to use an alternate runway and make an ILS approach. It doesn't look like Runways 7L and 7R have an ILS.Ken.

[Breeze 17]

I was trying to program the FMC but I guess that's not possible. So without any kind of approach chart that means ATC would have to vector me for a visual approach if conditions allow and I would have to hand fly all the way down, no ILS, no LOC, no nothing. Or is it possible to lock onto the localizer for runway 25 as a BC? Looks like I got nothing.I have seen them from the Mandalay Bay Hotel landing on either 7L or 7R, can't remember which now. Conditions today seemed to favor that but I couldn't image how to do it without a chart. Was going to fly VATSIM but no controller was on line at the time.Thanks for your replies. They certainly help.Jim Little

[Chaos81 110]

Jim, I posted this question over on the ZLA forums. This is what Marc Sykes, who is the Facility Chief said to me."First, keep in mind that the threshold for switching runway configurations at Vegas is 15 knots. This means that theoretically even if the winds are 070 at 14, we'll most likely still be using the standard 25/19 configuration. There are way too many pilots out there trying to land on the 7s at LAX or LAS when winds are like 070 at 3. It takes a lot more than that before the real airports switch configurations.If winds make 25L unusable and the weather demands instrument approaches, the next thing you'll probably see (in the real world) is the ILS 1L. This isn't in FS by default because it was just installed last year, thus we're generally unable to use it on VATSIM. So at that point we're probably looking at a circling approach of some kind. If you're on the FUZZY6 you might get the VOR/DME-A circle to 7R, or possibly even the ILS 25L circle to 7R. In this case you would follow the instrument approach until you have the field in sight, then circle to make a visual landing. Which approach would depend on how bad the weather is -- IAPs have their own minima for circling approaches which are generally considerably higher than for a straight in.You won't see too many circling approaches at large commercial airports, but from time to time they can't be avoided, and if the winds really required 7R but IMC prevailed, that's what you'd need to do.As for what happens when there's no ATC online, nothing much different. You pick the instrument approach you want to use and the runway on which you're going to land, and fly the approach how you like, announcing your intentions on UNICOM."Hope all of this helps even more. Good luck.

[Breeze 17]

Wow, that circling approach would be some fun. I'm going to need to research that one. I can't remember how many knots the wind was today but I will remember there is a threshold before they switch runways.When I was in Vegas they were using one of the 7s and 1L for arrivals. You could see them lined up on the approach coming in, even at night. It was more fun that gambling.I have added the ILS for 1L to my flight sim so I guess I could request that approach and see if they will give it to me next time.Thanks Mike for taking the trouble to find an answer to my question. Certainly is more than I expected. I appreciate it.Jim Little

[Guest flyQXcrj]

Um guys - you forget the best approach aid available is installed on every aircraft in the world - the window!I've flown all kinds of approaches into LAS - 99% it's onto the 25/19 config. However, I have been recently put on 07R and it was a quite simple procedure and I did a visual approach. Also, remember in LAS it is more than VFR 99% of the time so a visual approach is no big deal.It's OK to handfly the aircraft.Matt

[Chaos81 110]

Jim, no problem. I always like it when someone helps me out so I try to do the same to others.Matt, I think we both know you can do a visual. The problem was, where are you supposed to fly to if you don't have visual conditions. I realize that doesn't happen very often, but if it did, then what do you do?