How to fly the SAMOS (LGSM) approach ?

[ninerwhiskey9W 19]

Hello All,

Can someone explain how to fly the final approach for landing at SAMOS ? After flying the STAR, and following the initial approach from and to the SAM VOR, It says to fly a course of 358 to the SAM VOR at MDA, whereas the runways are 09/27. Do you just execute a normal visual approach after SAM ?

Charts for reference :  http://vau.aero/navdb/chart/LGSM.pdf

Cheers

[Woozie 732]

Yes you would fly on course 358 SAM at 4000' and initiate final descent at 9 DME SAM. For a 09 visual you would look out for  a small coastal village to the left of your approach course. Break off to the left,  aim for the village and cross over it (slightly to the left of the village) at around 1500'/1000', aim for another small village further north, at the same time look for a large storage building with a white roof at 2 o'clock, its your visual reference for your final turn to line up for RWY09. Cross this building at around 400' 

Cant tell much about the RWY27 approach, didnt get to fly it yet. Despite the dangerous and tricky approach, Runway 09 is the preferred runway due to challenging and unpredictable wind situations affecting RWY27 approach. 

[ninerwhiskey9W 19]

1 minute ago, Woozie said:

Yes you would fly on course 358 SAM at 4000' and initiate final descent at 9 DME SAM. For a 09 visual you would look out for  a small coastal village to the left of your approach course. Break of to the left,  aim for the village and cross over it (slightly to the left of the village) at around 1500'/1000', aim for another small village further north, at the same time look for a large storage building with a white roof, thats what you should cross on your final turn to line up for RWY09 at around 400'. 

Cant tell much about the RWY27 approach, didnt get to fly it yet. Despite the dangerous and tricky approach, Runway 09 is the preferred runway due to challenging wind situations affecting RWY27 approach. 

Thanks for the detailed info. Do these visual reference points exist in the sim also ?

[Woozie 732]

Youre welcome. They do exist in the LGSM scenery from 29palms. Not sure about default scenery though. 

[officercrockey 196]

Just now, ninerwhiskey9W said:

Thanks for the detailed info. Do these visual reference points exist in the sim also ?

If you have the 29Palms scenery, yes. Also the scenery includes an instruction for the approach. Also there are videos on youtube. But Woozie's description fits quite well.

[ninerwhiskey9W 19]

I was using a freeware scenery, but I will check the 29Palms LGSM out. Have heard good things about their work. 

[Woozie 732]

2 minutes ago, ninerwhiskey9W said:

I was using a freeware scenery, but I will check the 29Palms LGSM out. Have heard good things about their work. 

You wont be disappointed, its a well made scenery, with good performance. 

Btw, dont try to grease the landing, make sure you slam her down as otherwise you might run out of runway and go for a bath ;)

 

[ninerwhiskey9W 19]

1 minute ago, Woozie said:

You wont be disappointed, its a well made scenery, with good performance. 

Btw, dont try to grease the landing, make sure you slam her down as otherwise you might run out of runway and go for a bath ;)

 

I hear you. I will probably be flying in a Cessna 172 for the first attempt before moving to larger aircraft.

[Woozie 732]

15 minutes ago, ninerwhiskey9W said:

I hear you. I will probably be flying in a Cessna 172 for the first attempt before moving to larger aircraft.

I should have done that too. My first approach was in a A320 with a nice, smooth flare....ended up with screeching tires juuuust in front of the beach. Those brake fans are pretty loud i tell you ;)

[mikealpha 266]

There's a nice video at Youtube of that approach, flown by former A320 Pilot Blackbox711 in the FSLabs 320 :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dacZJsje1xA

Mike

[YukonPete 580]

5 hours ago, ninerwhiskey9W said:

Hello All,

Can someone explain how to fly the final approach for landing at SAMOS ? After flying the STAR, and following the initial approach from and to the SAM VOR, It says to fly a course of 358 to the SAM VOR at MDA, whereas the runways are 09/27. Do you just execute a normal visual approach after SAM ?

Charts for reference :  http://vau.aero/navdb/chart/LGSM.pdf

Cheers