I'm looking at the RNAV chart for Page Field, KFMY, Runway 31, and as I read it, the FAF is almost on top of KRSW, a large local airport in Fort Myers Florida. And not only that, but it appears right in line perpendicular to  RSW runway 06 at 1500 Feet. I will look up the airspace for KRSW, but it sure seems like this is right on the approach for commuter jets landing on runway 06, which is a very common approach. There is only one runway at KRSW.

The chart is here: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2313/00154R31.PDF

So before I work on setting up the approach to runway 31 on the SR22 NXi , I'm wondering if I'm reading the chart correctly. MSFS atc vectored me to use this approach.

I'm suprised the ATC even brought you this far hehe.

But yeah the chart is correct - you'd start at any fix labeled as an IF (assuming under radar with atc) or IAF, and the only fix you need to fly the hold in lieu of procedure turn is MEMXI... unless ATC clears you straight in (which im not sure if msfs atc even knows about).

In real life you'd hear something like "Cirrus 12345, cross MEMXI at/(at or above) 2,300, cleared straight in rnav rwy 31 approach" (which means you do not fly the hold)

The MSFS Cirrus has LPV capabilities so you follow the Glide Path (GP) all the way down to mins if you have to (265 ft).  In the event that you do not see the runway environment at 265 ft you climb straight ahead until reach 500 ft, then right climbing turn direct SERFS to 2600 and hold.

Appears to be about 0.5 nm from the end of RWY 6.  It would be approximately 1,000 feet vertical separation between you and someone landing at KRSW. 

I happen to visit right under the flight path to RNW 06, and planes land in many different configurations and different speeds. 1000 feet doesn't seem like much. Especially with the jetwash coming off the planes. And they sometimes land every 5 minutes or so.

Thanks for the precise info Ryan,  I'll try it tomorrow night. I have to learn how to set this up in the approach part page of the  G1000.

If two planes are landing at the same time, one going into KRSW RWY 6 would be approximately 200-300 feet at the 0.5 nm point to the runway.  Someone crossing that point on the approach to KFMY RWY 31 would be around 1600 feet.  At the most, any deviation from the published approach would put you 1,000 feet apart vertically.  Adherence to the glidepath on any RNAV/ILS approach is strict.  Vertical separation is visual, target resolution, or 500 feet.  If the heavier aircraft are entering KRSW, then they are lower altitude generating any wake.  I believe wake drops at 500 fpm, but the planes landing at KFMY would be around 1200 feet above anyone landing at KRSW, so it shouldn't be a problem.  ATC should advise of any traffic on final conflicting.  Neither airport seems to mention this being an issue in their comments or NOTAMs.

Edited January 5, 20242 yr by Orlaam

Ok, I guess 1000 feet is enough. I don't  think RNAV 31 is used very often but I did look it up. Most common RNW at KFMY is 05 anyway. sort of parallel to 06 RSW.

Hard to say, I don't know the area.  Winds might favor 5 and 6, thus reducing any crossing approaches.

51 minutes ago, mikegrr said:

Ok, I guess 1000 feet is enough. I don't  think RNAV 31 is used very often but I did look it up. Most common RNW at KFMY is 05 anyway. sort of parallel to 06 RSW.

You actually can call KRSW tower and tell them that you are student pilot wondering about possible conflict KFMY RNAV 31.

6 hours ago, sd_flyer said:

You actually can call KRSW tower and tell them that you are student pilot wondering about possible conflict KFMY RNAV 31.

if you seem confused and they have a lot of traffic going on, they might send you somewhere else, has happened to me during my training. that was before foreflight etc. avoid wake turbulence by all means.

More generally, if you want to cross an airport's arrival and departure stream, the way that typically produces the least conflict is to go straight over the airport, perpendicular to the stream of traffic -- which is essentially what this approach does.

One additional consideration here is: What if an aircraft on approach to runway 6 at KRSW goes around (relatively early)? The missed approach altitude is 2300 feet, so couldn't that potentially be a conflict with an aircraft on the RNAV 31 approach to KFMY? The answer is that controllers will protect against this, either by giving the aircraft approaching KRSW alternative missed approach instructions or by sequencing the two approaches so that a potential go around doesn't produce a conflict with the aircraft approaching KFMY.

and all the while try to decipher what they are saying 🤣

 

11 hours ago, Orlaam said:

If two planes are landing at the same time, one going into KRSW RWY 6 would be approximately 200-300 feet at the 0.5 nm point to the runway.

Actually they'd be about 150 feet on a standard glideslope, which is 300 feet per nautical mile.

3 hours ago, turbomax said:

if you seem confused and they have a lot of traffic going on, they might send you somewhere else, has happened to me during my training. that was before foreflight etc. avoid wake turbulence by all means.

I'm not confused but back in days me flying solo x-country I actually called LA approach ATC to figure our some transition routes

One thing to keep in mind is that approaches in tight airspace are usually controlled by the same controller. They will de conflict based on flow. Kinda like departures when when you have departure and arrival corridors close together. They will put you in the penalty box awaiting IFR release until space is clear for your release. I have actually opt'd for a VFR departure just to get out and pick up my IFR clearance once clear. If you think about it, the risk of aircraft being off altitude would be higher on approaches, especially when flying non precision approaches and visuals. Because of this, you manage the flow so that both aircraft will not arrive at that same place at the same time on those approaches.

When I flew heavies, I couldn't always make those ATC climb gradients. When a departure corridor was needled through arrival corridors, this would be an issue. So, I'd let them know and they will coordinate with other controller and let them know that a heavy DC10 would be coming through and grazing their corridor. This was also the case when I flew KC10s in non standard formations. I would be delayed until the space was clear enough for me to plow through the corridor. You will see this setup in the North East USA where you have multiple large airports in close proximity.

Edited January 5, 20242 yr by G550flyer
Added

Many moons ago I flew C-141 Starlizards out of KSBD (then Norton AFB and now San Bernardino Intl) -- the only approaches to KSBD are to runway 6, as there's a rather large cumulogranite cloud located off the departure end that obviates having any rwy 24 approaches.  So when it was IFR (much of the time due to smog) and the winds required a west flow, you flew the localizer approach to 6 and circled to 24.  The rub--Petis NDB is the FAF for the localizer to rwy 6 at KSBD, and is also the IAF for the opposite-direction ILS approaches to rwy 24L/R at Ontario Intl/KONT.  The KSBD approach has a hard altitude at 3300...the KONT approach has a hard altitude at 4300.  It always got your attention when you found yourself nose-to-nose with an airliner with the minimum 1000 ft separation. 

More than a couple HATRs (hazardous air traffic reports) were filed over the years due to someone being off their altitude there, but thankfully, never any bent aluminum.  And the approaches are still laid out that way today.