When planning a flight into St Maarten TNCM from San Juan TJSJ I wanted to practice hand flying a DME arc. In the FMC there is VOR X, Y and Z.

I Googled and found this:-

 

Z, X, Y can be added to any approach to differentiate multiple approaches of the same type (VOR, GPS, etc) to a single runway. This is done so approaches are not confused. This is very important when it comes to differing approaches, ie only circling minimums or only straight in, different MDAs or even different missed approach procedures.

On a side note, approaches with A, B, or C designators are instrument approaches not in alignment with a runway, (greater than 30

 

I have also learnt that Z should be selected in preference.

What is not clear to me is how do I know which real world chart relates to the X, Y and Z in the FMC. I cannot see anything to indicate which is which on the charts?

Hello,

 

The name of the procedure is always indicated on the chart (Most usually on the top for which I use).

Different approaches will be depicted on different charts. You won't find one chart depicting both VOR Z 10 and VOR X 10 for instance.

You will have each chart named VOR Z 10, VOR X 10 separately. If you see only VOR 10 it is most probably that your chart is outdated and your source for chart not up-to-date.

It is interesting to check the date on the chart to have an idea of when the chart has been edited.

 

Where do you get your charts from and how old are they?

 

 

I have also learnt that Z should be selected in preference.

 

This is not correct. Where did you hear that?

 

When flying into CHO, your preferred route is CSN V140 WITTO. When landing south, you have either the RNAV Z or the RNAV Y. The RNAV Y has a transition at WITTO, so why would I go with Z preferentially? Moreover, the RNAV Y keeps me farther away from a pretty large hill just north of the runway than the RNAV Z. The Z over Y (X, and so on) preference doesn't make any sense, and I'm guessing someone who didn't quite understand what he was talking about said it.

 

It's simply an identifier to note that the approach is different.

 

 

 

What is not clear to me is how do I know which real world chart relates to the X, Y and Z in the FMC. I cannot see anything to indicate which is which on the charts?

 

The names should match very closely if not exactly. If they don't, I'm guessing that you're not using the same data in the sim as is available on the charts.

This caught my attention, but Google lists some old charts from simmers and AirNav states there are no published approaches for TNCM.

This caught my attention, but Google lists some old charts from simmers and AirNav states there are no published approaches for TNCM.

 

AirNav only shows charts for the NACO region. It's not that there aren't any; it's that there aren't any published by NACO.

That makes sense, I wrongly assumed AirNav would N/A that attribute rather than provide that answer and was surprised they even listed the place.

 

Back to topic:  Where can charts for TNCM be obtained?

There are no official charts available online. The AIP, published by DC-ANSP, is not freely accessible.

 

I've checked my Navigraph charts. VOR Z is the DME arc, while VOR X is a teardrop procedure. VOR Y isn't mentioned in the charts. Perhaps it's the "LCTR" approach.

I found charts online by searching "TNCM charts" via Google. The second link provided a PDF of the terminal procedures and approaches. No idea if they are "official" or not.

 

Third link were some Jeppview charts.

 

Dave

St Maarten doesn't have an AIP at all it would seem. That can't be right, surely?

See here

 

http://www.fly-sea.com/charts/TNCM.pdf

See here

 

http://www.fly-sea.com/charts/TNCM.pdf

Those are from 2006. Not useful.

Gulp!! Yes you are right I am sorry. Apparently there arent any current available.

Navigraph has the a bundled package of charts and FMS data for a yearly subscription - https://www.navigraph.com/Subscription.aspx. You are not going to find any free charts on the Internet that are current.

Tried finding an official charting source on it and can't figure it out. The airport isn't listed on the AIS Netherlands site (only mainland there, it seems), and I chased another lead on the charts to some corporation's site, so I'm guessing it isn't going to be up on any government site. That would explain the difficulty in finding recent charts.

I probably made a mistake by posting Jeppesen chart for TNCM in this thread a little earlier, since the post was removed.

I apologize in case of any inconvenience.