With Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) notorious as the busiest airport in the US—with passengers carried at just over 103 million—the air traffic in the Atlanta area can, at times, be intense. DeKalb-Peachtree (PDK), just 17 nautical miles northeast, is a perfect GA airport for anyone visiting the metro area interested in avoiding ATL traffic. When PDK winds blow from the west and south, the RNAV (GPS) Y Runway 21L is regularly used during IFR conditions—and often just to establish a stable arrival during VFR conditions.
Chart Wise: PDK RNAV (GPS) Y Runway 21L
Key Takeaways:
- DeKalb-Peachtree (PDK) serves as a General Aviation alternative to Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), frequently utilizing the RNAV (GPS) Y Runway 21L for arrivals to avoid ATL traffic.
- The RNAV (GPS) Y Runway 21L approach at PDK is non-precision, lacking LPV minimums or a glideslope, and requires a stabilized step-down descent to a missed approach point (MAP) located 0.4 miles before the runway end.
- Pilots must account for a 15.04-degree offset from the runway centerline, specific arrival restrictions (e.g., at AWSON), and a demanding missed approach procedure involving an immediate climbing right turn exceeding 100 degrees.
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