How does Radar Contact handle nearside or straight in approaches?  For a near straight in or straight in or even a base, does RC vector you to the runway or do you have to do most of it?  Also, what does notams do?  Does notams allow you to go off the RC heading and altitude commands?

For a nearside approach you will be given vectors but you may not get a 30 degree intercept path. You need to watch the top line in the RC display and compare it to the runway heading for your correct approach.

 

The other thing to watch is speed. Get down to 210kts as soon as you reach FL110 / 11000ft. You don't have much distance compared to a far-side approach.

 

NOTAMS should be ticked for any airport in a mountainous area. RC will give you altitudes to descent to but only if safe to do so. You won't be shouted at for not adhering to those instructions. Same applies when departing. RC knows there is terrain in the area but not its direction. We were working on that in v5 before work stopped.

With NOTAMs enabled ATC also gives heading instructions 'if feasible only'.

For a nearside approach you will be given vectors but you may not get a 30 degree intercept path. You need to watch the top line in the RC display and compare it to the runway heading for your correct approach.

 

The other thing to watch is speed. Get down to 210kts as soon as you reach FL110 / 11000ft. You don't have much distance compared to a far-side approach.

 

NOTAMS should be ticked for any airport in a mountainous area. RC will give you altitudes to descent to but only if safe to do so. You won't be shouted at for not adhering to those instructions. Same applies when departing. RC knows there is terrain in the area but not its direction. We were working on that in v5 before work stopped.

Hi Ray, good information.  Thanks.