February 18, 200422 yr Hi, Having tested this quite a bit (after a long flight in the PMDG 737NG that ended miserably because of no glide slope) I am pretty sure rwy 27, which is the most used rwy there I might add, has no functional glideslope in FS8 or FS9. Is there a fix for this the somebody knows about? I would really love to use that RWY with a glideslope signal. thanks,Mike
February 18, 200422 yr Runway 27 at ksan in real life also has no glideslope. It is a LOC approach.Hope that helps from a former San Diegan!http://mywebpages.comcast.net/geofa/pages/rxp-pilot.jpg Geofa WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE-the best Flight Sim!
February 18, 200422 yr Geof,Thanks, I am also a former San Diegan but had no idea it had no glideslope. Very interesting, I guess it has something to do with the mostly clear WX? Although... I have flown into KSAN on 27 on some pretty low vis conditions...I dont think I have ever in 50+ landings there, ever landed runway 9 direction. Anyway, thanks for the heads up, I will just figure out how to hand fly the heavies then.Mike
February 19, 200422 yr Author Hi Mike,Runway 27 at SAN uses a very steep approach. I believe it's a non-precision approach due to the fact that this gives a much better approach profile for this type of approach. I don't have it in front of me, but this type of approach can have some advantages over a precision approach (or ILS), believe it or not :).Bruce. ASEL, Instrument. KBJC, Colorado.
February 19, 200422 yr I believe it's not the generally clear weather so much as the high terrain east of the airport that precludes using glideslope. Coming in on final you are often in danger of disloging TV antennas from the roofs of the apartment buildings on the hill. A regular glideslope would take you too close to the ground. There's a note on the Jeppesen chart for the airport that indicates terrain and buildings to 500 ft within 1.5 miles east and north.I'm amazed that British Airways used to get a 747 in there! Only ex-carrier pilots need apply.
February 19, 200422 yr Standard glideslopes are not the most accurate instruments in the world. They are designed to bounce their signal off the ground in front of the transmitter which can make them a bit squirrley, esp. if that ground is say, water like it is at LGA, or if taxiing airplanes routinely pass in front of the transitter. At KSAN, I am guessing that the buildings at the end of the runway and the fairly steep hill due east of the field preclude a glideslope, either becuase of interference with the signal, or it would be too steep to be practical.
February 19, 200422 yr The biggest problem with the 27 approach to KSAN is the dam$ parking garrage! Scares the hell out of me everytime I shoot the LOC 27 in low vis, which is pretty common certain times of the day. Looking to break out I look for 2 things, the runway and the garrage. Southwest pilot's can do it in their sleep. Of course those crop dusters are just about the best pilot's you'll see.
February 19, 200422 yr Author Hi Kieth,"I'm amazed that British Airways used to get a 747 in there! Only ex-carrier pilots need apply."Yes, I agree. I believe BA used to fly a 744 to KPHX, then onto KSAN in order to be at guaranteed minimum fuel (while still legal) on this approach. I believe that they now fly direct from the UK into KSAN using the B777, which must say something about it's performance compared with the 744.Bruce. ASEL, Instrument. KBJC, Colorado.
February 19, 200422 yr Ahem,If you want a Glide Slope for R27 at KSAN, it's already in the AVSIM library...ps_sd_ils.zip is the file name.
February 20, 200422 yr BA abandoned SAN. Don't know if it was due to poor load factors on that route or just part of a general retrenchment. I was looking forward to taking that flight to London. There's no humane way to clear customs at LAX.
February 20, 200422 yr I feel for you... Lufthansa just dumped the Phoenix-Frankfurt route..... Customs at Sky Harbor ranks among the best, IMHO....BA still flies out of Sky Harbor non-stop into Heathrow daily. Kind of worried if they are leaving San Diego, will they do the same in Phoenix, since the cities and metro areas are of similar size....-John
February 20, 200422 yr Author "There's no humane way to clear customs at LAX"I agree! It's like a big dark pit!Bruce. ASEL, Instrument. KBJC, Colorado.
February 20, 200422 yr You could always fly with charts like real pilots do.Charts are free www.myairplane.com
February 20, 200422 yr You could always fly with charts like real pilots do, than you would know what airports have an ILS and which ones don't.Charts are free at http://myairplane.com/databases/approach/index.php
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