IFR Currency for Levi - KMRY KWVI (Part 1)

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Rich
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Re: IFR Currency for Levi - KMRY KWVI (Part 1)

Post by Rich »

Boatguy wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:14 pm I think IFR approaches in VMC at non-towered airports is one of the scarier things in flying. The VFR planes are flying a pattern and the approach brings us straight in on final. The VFR pilots may well have no idea what we're talking about if we say we're 10 miles out on the RNAV XX.
Mostly I find it can be annoying, as it compromises what you may be trying to practice. My home airport is a real problem, as it's the go-to place for doing touch and gos for a nearby very busy flight school. There can easily be 4-5 planes buzzing around the pattern at once. They schedule everybody at the same time :tap:

It's a missed blessing, though. It turns out that it drives our operations count way up at what would otherwise be a sleepy little airport. This helps when it comes to doling out Federal and State support.

One thing that has helped is that we recently got our own CTAF and it allows all of us to be more informative to each other about what we're doing and how we might blend in together. It's surprising how it has improved mutual respect :thumbsup:
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waynemcc999
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Re: IFR Currency for Levi - KMRY KWVI (Part 1)

Post by waynemcc999 »

Boatguy wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:14 pm I think IFR approaches in VMC at non-towered airports is one of the scarier things in flying. The VFR planes are flying a pattern and the approach brings us straight in on final. The VFR pilots may well have no idea what we're talking about if we say we're 10 miles out on the RNAV XX. If we say we're on a 5mi final straight in, they wonder why we're barging into the pattern, don't know exactly how long it will take us to reach the runway and may ignore us. I've had planes turn base in front me while I'm on final more than once while practicing approaches. In one case the other plane had to make a hard right to avoid a midair.

Worst case we're trying to fly an approach against the current flow of traffic, like the ILS 13 while everyone else is landing, or doing touch and go's on 31.

My preference is to find a quieter towered airport. They may not have radar, but they will at least be talking with the other traffic, be alerted to our arrival by approach or center, and attempt to coordinate the local traffic. From KSBA, both KWJF and KMHV are both towered with multiple approaches and generally pretty sleepy.
Russ, excellent points! As you know, in the video we had one of each... towered at KMRY and non-towered (pilot controlled) at KWVI.

I agree 100%+ that at non-towered we should NOT be reporting some inane IFR waypoint, but rather simply report position/intent, e.g. "xyz traffic, white Diamond 1WP, 10 miles southwest, 3000 descending, <intention>, xyz". And Watsonville is doubly scary because it's often crazy busy (as you'll see/hear in the next video, there was even a jump plane drop)!

You list some good quiet towered airports in my neck of the woods... I'd add to that list a few more: KOXR (although it's used for a good amount of practice approaches), KSMX, and KSBP.

Thanks for contributing to the conversation!
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Colin
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Re: IFR Currency for Levi - KMRY KWVI (Part 1)

Post by Colin »

KCMA is double good for practice approaches because, as far as I can tell, they use that tower to train controllers. So sometimes the people on BOTH sides of the radio are trying to figure it out.
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