Just doing some brush-up work on GPS approaches.  The one that I am looking at is KAVX Catalina airport off the coast of Southern California.

 

According to Airnav.com, the VOR/DME OR GPS-B (http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAVX) approach, for example, doesn't appear to line up in respect to the runway heading.  The final bearing is 172'.  Is that because of where the VOR is located on  or near the airport?  But with GPS, I would think it the approach would line you up on the runway in this case 220' +- magnetic variation.

 

What am I missing?

 

Thanks!

 

Because this is a CIRCLING category approach.  You could plot a straight in approach and fly it VFR, but IFR you

only have the 2 published approaches. This airport is closed except for emergencies outside of attended hours.

 

Also, it looks like you must be accompanied by a CFI for your first landing there.

 

https://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?s=visit&p=pilot_information

As n99wb states this is a circling approach not an RNAV GPS approach. You are only using GPS as a substitute for DME. It's still a non-precision approach, and yes it is off set from the centerline.

Just doing some brush-up work on GPS approaches.  The one that I am looking at is KAVX Catalina airport off the coast of Southern California.

 

According to Airnav.com, the VOR/DME OR GPS-B (http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAVX) approach, for example, doesn't appear to line up in respect to the runway heading.  The final bearing is 172'.  Is that because of where the VOR is located on  or near the airport?  But with GPS, I would think it the approach would line you up on the runway in this case 220' +- magnetic variation.

 

What am I missing?

 

Thanks!

Whenever the final approach course is more than 30* different from runway heading, it's going to be a Circling approach with circling minimums.

You can fly straight in when doing the approach but if under IMC very likely you have to circle to land.

If you circle to land at this airport, remember "circling southeast runway 4-22 NA".

I got this airport for one of my IR check, very interesting!