Found it after digging around Dan - OCA... obstacle clearance altitude - seems there's an obstacle on missed approach on the plate I was looking at (EGGD). Anyway think I'll have a go at this one next :(

Bet it's easier on fsx :( Don't think RA would work too well at Courchevel either, that is scary lolJohn Ellison

Found it after digging around Dan - OCA... obstacle clearance altitude - seems there's an obstacle on missed approach on the plate I was looking at (EGGD). Anyway think I'll have a go at this one next B)

Bet it's easier on fsx :( Don't think RA would work too well at Courchevel either, that is scary lolJohn Ellison

An acronym that has to different definitions!? Reminds me of my six years in the army. :( The example of the approach into Charleston that the other Dan mentioned and the one you stated above are great examples of the type of runways you have to use baro instead of RA, and these examples really helped me understand the difference between the two. As for the video.....WOW.... :( It should really shine on my FS9 with FSglobal!!!

Just to make sure I'm tracking..... I should always use BARO (found on the mins chart) unless the IAP specifcally states a RA.

That is correct.

Sort of Dan but as I understand it DH/MDA will not always be the MM - it will be specified on the chart though. It will vary for the type of aircraft as well (ABCD) and the approach type. The MSA is a roughly 1000 feet ground clearance around the flightpath, sort of a minimum ground clearance altitude.Still lost on the acronym OCA here though lol - so still learning, still, nothing wrong with that :( Nice of FS to have airports at the wrong altitude and location though.... and some just impossible - check out SKCL 3166' (wrong place) and in FSX 2629' (wrong place) and using FSGlobal puts it in a 500' hole... sometimes you can't win :( John Ellison

John...did you know, that I fixed SKCL in FSX? Someone was flying RTW and discovered SKCL to be way off in elevation--so I fixed it for them and sent them the files. I thought I had uploaded it to AVSIM, but I guess I didn't (I just searched).I fixed SKCL's elevation...and that is all I did to the airport--no other optimizations. If you like I can send you the file.

To add to the confusion, the local regulatory authority may have charts in an unfamiliar format. For that reason, I like the Jeppesen charts, since the format is standard for all approaches worldwide. They're also nicer to look at. The major downside is the cost though. They are usually significantly more expensive that the government charts.

However, I have never ever used approach plates. Nor do I (fully) understand how they should be read. Nor did I ever (really) need them. But then again, I am not a professional pilot... But afaik FSX isn't made specially for professionals, is it...?

Well the MD-11 was made for professionals, and a lot of them use it too...Jeroen it sounds as if you've never flown a non-precision approach. Landing without approach charts might be just fine using a CAT1 ILS... however doing stuff like NDB approaches or VOR/DME, Visuals or Circlings this stuff is IMPOSSIBLE to do without the charts. BUT exactly those kind of approaches are the most interesting things about flying IFR, you really should try them and learn the charts. You'll have so much more fun flying the MD-11, trust me. Example: ILS approach RWY25 with circling 07 in Quito, Ecuador. Do this with WX set to the minimum required for that procedure and I guarantee you this will be great fun... but impossible without a chart.Alright you will have a go at that with the upcoming advanced tutorial flight document, which by the way is intended for release in the first week of March.Regards,Markus

Here is another site that has a lot of good information about navigation for pilots. Some of the subjects are several pages, so you'll need to keep 'clicking' to the next page to find everything. There is a section on chart reading and locating the DH or MDA in the chart.Wish you the best:Jim D.http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/index.htm

Just found a good link to an interactive page on how to read an Approach Plate:http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/6912/appmain.htm

John...did you know, that I fixed SKCL in FSX? Someone was flying RTW and discovered SKCL to be way off in elevation--so I fixed it for them and sent them the files. I thought I had uploaded it to AVSIM, but I guess I didn't (I just searched).I fixed SKCL's elevation...and that is all I did to the airport--no other optimizations. If you like I can send you the file.

That would be magic if you could - earn some major thanks from me anyway lolI could fix the elevation in ADE but then it just sits in the air lol so not too good. Don't know how we can arrange files to be sent - my inbox???? Newish to these forums I amJohn Ellison

An acronym that has to different definitions!? Reminds me of my six years in the army. :( The example of the approach into Charleston that the other Dan mentioned and the one you stated above are great examples of the type of runways you have to use baro instead of RA, and these examples really helped me understand the difference between the two. As for the video.....WOW.... :( It should really shine on my FS9 with FSglobal!!!

Yeah, and as for the acronyms - I crashed off the end of the runway (I'll try 50 flaps next time) and plane was FUBAR, I moaned to the airport officials but they were NAAFI... :( John Ellison

That would be magic if you could - earn some major thanks from me anyway lolI could fix the elevation in ADE but then it just sits in the air lol so not too good. Don't know how we can arrange files to be sent - my inbox???? Newish to these forums I amJohn Ellison

It's just 1 file, 426 kb in size. I would attach it but the forums do not like bgl's attached.I could e-mail it to you,....Alternatively I may just fit out the whole airport, and upload to the file library with the altitude change.