The world is a fairly big place and exploring it through MSFS is a lot of fun.  I discovered an approach to SVMD (Alberto Carnevalli) in Merida, Venezuela.  The only instrument approach is an RNP for Rwy 07.  It takes you down a valley surrounded by mountains with the last 5 miles being visual only at about 1900 AGL.

Looks like quite a cool challenge and a nice screenshot to boot 🙂 

Add some haze and do it at dusk and it gets real interesting...

2 hours ago, RandallR said:

Add some haze and do it at dusk and it gets real interesting...

Sounds like you would like the RNP approaches into VQPR, Paro, Bhutan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFuZfKZWmk0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbLHah4XUwk&t=97s

Al

Edited March 30, 20233 yr by ark

2 hours ago, RandallR said:

Add some haze and do it at dusk and it gets real interesting...

imagine having to go around AFTER the missed approach point at UPORI:

and for some more fun:

"Alberto Carnevalli Airport does not publish a METAR, the nearest weather station is Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso Airport, which is 56 km away."

weather for "56 km nearby" SVVG:

Visibility 7000m. Drizzle. Clouds overcast 1700ft. Temperature 24°C, dew point 24°C. QNH 1012 hPa

SVMD: MDA (h) 1.888'

looks like no IFR approach there today.

https://www.windy.com/SVVG?8.624,-72.771,8

SVVG-> SVMD:

well, if the Citation CJ4 could do it, I can do it. weather was nothing like forecasted, but I since there is no METAR available at SVMD. MSFS won't have it right either. looks like the LOWI Innsbruck-Austria of Venezuela.

but you were probably thinking more of weather like this:

that's why they are celebrating Caneval in the tower at the SVMD Carnevalli Airport after every successful landing:

Edited March 30, 20233 yr by turbomax

11 hours ago, ark said:

Sounds like you would like the RNP approaches into VQPR, Paro, Bhutan

Al

Yep - I went in there a couple of years ago.

4 hours ago, turbomax said:

and for some more fun:

"Alberto Carnevalli Airport does not publish a METAR, the nearest weather station is Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso Airport, which is 56 km away."

weather for "56 km nearby" SVVG:

Visibility 7000m. Drizzle. Clouds overcast 1700ft. Temperature 24°C, dew point 24°C. QNH 1012 hPa

SVMD: MDA (h) 1.888'

looks like no IFR approach there today.

https://www.windy.com/SVVG?8.624,-72.771,8

SVVG-> SVMD:

well, if the Citation CJ4 could do it, I can do it. weather was nothing like forecasted, but I since there is no METAR available at SVMD. MSFS won't have it right either. looks like the LOWI Innsbruck-Austria of Venezuela.

On the evening I went in I think the weather was pretty close to what was happening in the area.  There were low scattered clouds and a lot of haze.  The final segment (visual) of the approach was especially challenging as dusk was approaching and the runway was not lighted,

29 minutes ago, RandallR said:

the runway was not lighted,

and no METAR available. how can they land their Phenoms, Citations, ATRs etc. on scheduled passenger flights?

the best I could find:

https://metar-taf.com/SVMD   (220 feet uphill slope),

but: This report was made for Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso Airport which is SVVG, 53 km west of SVMD.

SVM😧 prohibited for B727, B737, DC9 and larger.

take-off:

RCLM Runway Center Line Markings (DAY only)
or RL Runway (edge) Lights

RVR 400m

Edited March 30, 20233 yr by turbomax

The airport is controlled - I don't know what the communication range is in the mountainous region.  I suppose that planned flights to that destination would make a telephone call to ascertain current conditions before departing.

Also, what I used to do in the RW when I was approaching all uncontrolled fields was to call in on Unicom and ask for "winds & active".  I'm guessing that a similar communication could be made with the tower to make a go/no-go decision on final...

Another fun approach is LSZS RNP 21

 

5 minutes ago, RandallR said:

I'm guessing that a similar communication could be made with the tower to make a go/no-go decision on final...

you better speak fluently Spanish with the Alberto Carnevalli tower family:

 

Cuzco Peru is a fabulous approach too, and at 11K feet!  Very exciting especially when there is low visibility! 

CUSCO SPZO is extreme: requires authorization, approach not authorized when airport temperature is above 26 C. at 26 Celsius and altimeter setting 30.35 would result in density altitude of 14.284 ft. Considering a C172SP service ceiling of 14.000 means: you have to stay on the ground and wait for the evening or early next morning to cool off. and it wouldn't have the required climb gradient of 255ft/NM = 4.2% at that density altitude anyway. add t that some tailwind since you can only land rwy 28. I doubt many sim pilots are familiar with these effects. unfortunately lack of observing density altitude has killed real world GA pilots. not a factor for turbo props or jets though.

"The lack of an ILS and the sight of a crashed B737 at the side of the runway aren't helping much either."

https://fsdg-online.com/Sceneries/FS2020/FS2020-Full/Cusco-FS2020::58.html

Density Altitude calculator:

https://e6bx.com/density-altitude/

https://www.flywithjb.com/ask-a-cfi-how-does-density-altitude-affect-aircraft-performance-in-the-traffic-pattern-in-winter/

Edited March 30, 20233 yr by turbomax

Just did this approach in a MD88, good times!