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Clouds over Hilo Bay

A Scenario-Based Instrument Proficiency Check

Monday, September 7, 2009

Here's part one of a two-part recipe for mastering instrument flight on the Big Island

Hilo has actual instrument conditions, more so than any other airport in the State of Hawai'i, I believe.

Kona has technically challenging approaches, these approaches are rarely needed. I'll be covering these approaches in a later post.

Do the approaches listed below every couple of months, and you'll not only be legally proficient and current, but you'll be ready for the worst that the Big Island can throw at you.

Approach One: VOR/DME

Location: Hilo, Hawai'i
Approach: VOR/DME or TACAN-A
Equipment:
  • VOR
  • DME or IFR-certified GPS
Rationale:
  • The VOR Alpha Approach is the most fuel-efficient instrument approach into Hilo. It's not that much more distance to cover than a regular visual approach.
  • The weather in Hilo is usually the worst in the entire state, but clouds are seldom lower than the 500 feet or so required for this non-precision approach.
Scenario: An IFR flight from Honolulu or Maui, we've requested “direct PARIS,” or we're stuck on V2 from UPP. It's late at night, so Hilo Approach is closed. We'll be doing the approach without radar guidance.
Elements:
  • It's just a VOR tracking exercise, with some step-down descents.
  • Remember to IDENT the station.
  • If you're using the GPS, do you know how current your GPS database is?
  • What would you do if the DME failed?
  • Execute the published missed approach: How do you enter the holding pattern over VEWES?
  • Holding over VEWES is an excellent segue to the next approach: the ILS RWY 26 approach.

Approach Two: ILS

Location: Hilo, Hawai'i
Approach: ILS RWY 26
Equipment:
  • Localizer/Glideslope
  • ADF or IFR-certified GPS
Rationale: Every once in a while, our VOR is out of service. Of course, you know when this happens, because you get a pre-flight briefing, right? Right?
Scenario: The weather is down below the non-precision approach minimums. The Hilo VOR (ITO) is out of service. Here is the text of the FDC NOTAM issued right before your flight: 
!FDC 8/8518 ITO FI/T HILO INTL, HILO, HI.
ILS RWY 26, AMDT 12A...
S-ILS 26 DA 288/HAT 250, VIS 3/4 ALL CATS.
S-LOC 26 VIS CATS A/B/C 3/4.
NOTE: FOR INOPERATIVE MALSR INCREASE S-LOC 26 VIS TO 1 MILE ALL
CATS.

!FDC 8/6428 ITO FI/T HILO INTL, HILO, HI.
ILS RWY 26, AMDT 12A...
MISSED APPROACH: CLIMB TO 450 THEN CLIMBING LEFT TURN TO 3000
DIRECT POA NDB AND HOLD N, LT, 160 DEGREES INBOUND.
ADF AND RADAR REQUIRED EXCEPT FOR AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH
SUITABLE RNAV SYSTEM WITH GPS, ITO VORTAC OTS.
Aha! You can do the published approach without the VOR, but you cannot do the published MISSED approach! Imagine finding this out right in the middle of the real missed approach. Surprise!
Elements:
  • Transitioning correctly from the holding pattern in the last approach. You can use the holding pattern as the procedure turn!
  • Remember to IDENT the localizer. And to IDENT the NDB, if you're using the NDB.
  • Do you have an ADF? Good! It's finally relevant!
  • Or do you have an IFR-certified GPS? The GPS will automatically assume the publish missed approach, and will draw a nice, pretty, but totally WRONG holding pattern. You're going to have to program the GPS beforehand, somehow, or be dialing in DIRECT POA while doing the missed approach climb-out. Way too much fun!

Approach Three: Partial Panel LOC

Location: Hilo, Hawai'i
Approach: ILS RWY 26, again
Equipment:
  • Localizer/Glideslope
  • ADF or IFR-certified GPS
Rationale: It's break time. And by break, I mean things are breaking.
Scenario: You're holding over the POA NDB, tired after the last two attempts. Let's get Radar Vectors to the ILS. We've just done the ILS, so we're familiar with it. Now let's cripple the instrument panel. The first thing to go is your vacuum pump. Your AI and DG are in-operative. The next thing to go is the glide-slope.
Elements:
  • If you started off in the holding pattern, POA 3000 feet, this is a good time for some light unusual attitude recovery.
  • Partial panel.
  • Downgrading from ILS to LOC, with the necessary change in minimums.
  • Circle-to-land to a good runway.

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