PAVD Valdez

[Louis8 6]

Orbz had a real good sale on last month so i bought the payware Valdez .(real nice ) I'm a short hopper only so i've made maybe 15 flights from Whitehorse   CYXY into PAVD and it's a real nice ride,  but it would be a lot nicer if  I'd  get in there right, cause all my flights there are mess and sloppy. I have the latest airnav and using JON to transit. Has anyone have any tips to get in there like a real driver , cause it sure the heck ain't me  

[Louis8 6]

Orbz had a real good sale on last month so i bought the payware Valdez .(real nice ) I'm a short hopper only so i've made maybe 15 flights from Whitehorse   CYXY into PAVD and it's a real nice ride,  but it would be a lot nicer if  I'd  get in there right, cause all my flights there are mess and sloppy. I have the latest airnav and using JON to transit. Has anyone have any tips to get in there like a real driver , cause it sure the heck ain't me  

[BlueStar 323]

Try the approach from PEPPI.  It helps to be down to 7800 and close to if not in final landing configuration when joining the LOC at OLLEO.  There isn't much time to be in final landing configuration prior to the FAF.   

[Jim Erwin 7]

Fly the tutorials, particularly No. 2. Would using the HUD help you? Practice, practice, practice. (If there is some particular item of difficulty you are encountering, please specify; I'm sure there are people here who can help if they have more details.)

 

Jim Erwin

[NBouc 54]

Louis, Wilhelm's suggestion is very good. That's usually what I do even if my route takes me to JOH VOR first (coming from the east). I extend my route from JOH to PEPPI to facilitate a straight-in approach on the LDA/DME-H. PEPPI is located 40 nm to the west of JOH along V319 (JOH 273 degree radial) but I fly JOH direct PEPPI for simplicity.

But if I were to use JOH as the transition to the OLLEO fix, I would start by programming a HOLD at OLLEO and let the aircraft enter the HOLD until it is inbound to OLLEO (057 degrees to OLLEO at 7800 ft) which aligns you with the final approach course. I would then cancel the HOLD and activate the approach mode when the LOC comes alive. Even if we are at some 20 miles from the airport when passing OLLEO fix, I would fly at no more than 180 KIAS from OLLEO and gradually reduce speed as I configure the aircraft for landing. Being too fast when starting the approach might make reducing speed difficult later as you descent.

In any case, be prepared to turn off the autopilot and hand-fly the aircraft at some point because as you probably already noticed, the LOC is not perfectly aligned with runway 06 center line (a few degrees offset) and requires the pilot to align itself visually even if landing runway 06.

To reduce the workload for landing, I usually make sure that I am fully configured for landing before reaching the 5.2 DME fix on the approach. If I manage my speed correctly, I will sometimes be able to set flaps 30 passing the 11.2 DME fix. I can then concentrate on hand-flying the aircraft visually as soon as visual conditions exist.

Departing PAVD can be a challenge too if the ceiling is low. On the NAKED SID, you must fly visually to BLIGH, which is some 28 nm from the airport, at no less than 1900 ft. If the ceiling is lower than the mountain's tops, it forces you to navigate the fjiord visually to avoid the mountains until able to go directly to BLIGH.

Have fun in PAVD !

[downscc 1,327]

I've flown into PAVD a couple of times with the DC6, where the techniques would be much different from a NGX, and then only during daylight.  Weather permitting, I fly below the ceiling if visibility allows a view of the channel from JOH towards fix PAYDI and intercept the LDA there at 6400 MSL.  From there is a matter of speed control and going visual below 4460 ft mins. Be sure to not over shoot or come in to high and fast.

[BlueStar 323]

4 minutes ago, NBouc said:

But if I were to use JOH as the transition to the OLLEO fix

The JOH transition is NOPT so ATC approval would be needed to enter holding and proceed from the Hold. 

[NBouc 54]

1 hour ago, Bluestar said:

The JOH transition is NOPT so ATC approval would be needed to enter holding and proceed from the Hold. 

You are correct Wilhelm and that's a point worth mentioning for the OP's benefit. In the simulated world, we have the advantage of simulating that ATC provides the clearance we need (unless we are flying online, of course)  ;-)

[FalconAF 213]

1 hour ago, Bluestar said:

The JOH transition is NOPT so ATC approval would be needed to enter holding and proceed from the Hold. 

That.  And the key is to get your aircraft in a manageable speed configuration BEFORE you reach OLLEO.  You have plenty of time to do that from JOH.  You should be able to have your speed under control to allow a turn to intercept the localizer, and STILL be able to establish the correct crossing speed in the 7 miles to JIKAN, where you would deploy landing gear for the remaining 11.8 miles to the runway.  You have plenty of DISTANCE to do everything you need to do without going 40 miles past JOH just to get a "straight in" approach.  Manage your airspeed and aircraft configuration properly, and you have PLENTY of time to fly a precise JOH/OLLEO approach without anything going haywire on you.

[downscc 1,327]

I assume I can find VMC conditions before entering the channel between JOH and Valdez Bay... there I simply request a contact approach from ATC and proceed visually to the intercept the LDA for backup guidance to the destination.  Of course if it is night or solid IMC then fly it as published.

[BlueStar 323]

3 hours ago, downscc said:

here I simply request a contact approach from ATC

If already cleared for the approach I wouldn't think that it would be necessary to request a contact approach?

[downscc 1,327]

1 minute ago, Bluestar said:

If already cleared for the approach I wouldn't think that it would be necessary to request a contact approach?

True, but then one has to either fly as published or be on vectors.  I imagine a case where I want to intercept the final course at PAVDI, not an IAF, by running the scud as long as the ceiling lets me both stay at 6400 and see the 3000-4000 mountains along the channel.  This is how I approached in the DC6, instead of heading to OLLEO, which requires me to be at 7800 potentially in the icy clouds, I get below the scud at JOH and maintain visual with the mountains and channel.  I'm no longer protected by ATC rather I'm protecting myself by requesting the contact.

[BlueStar 323]

46 minutes ago, downscc said:

by running the scud

I swore once I left SE Asia and got back to the "world" I'd never run scud again. 

[Louis8 6]

Well it’s nice to see that a lot also find this an interesting place .I always  fly in the morning around 6 Am so there’s never any ATC and a lot of times its socked  in solid and I can’t do the flight (active sky next ). Flying in there when the sun comes up is so nice . It’s not that I can’t get in, it’s that my flights are always a fight and never smooth and I’m behind the airplane so once you get behind you know what that’s like . Any way I took a bunch of notes and will keep trying .The hud I’m starting to get into, when you turn at Olleo and head straight down there’s a mountain peak to make sure you don’t clip ,and I’m not configured properly at OLLEO I think is the big problem. I’ll try it from PEPPI.

[Louis8 6]

I just did a run using PEPPI had almost everything hanging out at OLLEO , seemed a little strange to be configured that high , but got in there a lot more in control ,I hand bombed it in by hand and went for the vasi's when i cleared to tops over the water in the bay.But she sure is one fine ride