The Unique Approach to Honolulu's LDA RWY 26L (PHNL)

Here's a breakdown of the LDA approach into Runway 26L at the O'ahu gateway airport.

Jason Blair

Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 04:01 PM ET

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PHNL LDA Runway 26L [Reproduced with permission of Jeppesen]

Key Takeaways:

The LDA approach to PHNL's Runway 26L is uniquely angled (304° course to a 260° runway) due to terrain, requiring pilots to follow flashing lights for final alignment to the correct runway.
The procedure involves several complexities, including mandatory crossing altitudes, a potentially confusing missed approach path, and the critical use of IEPC DME for accuracy, with GPS highly recommended for management.
This approach has specific circling restrictions, explicitly prohibiting circling to Runway 22R and any of the designated seaplane water runways.

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Planning a little flying around Honolulu, Hawai‘i? Following along like the aviation dork I am on an airline flight, as you check out the approach plates the crew might be using; or just looking for a busy approach to test your knowledge? You might run across the LDA approach to Runway 26L at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (PHNL). It’s an approach plate with lots going on—but don’t forget to look ahead if you break out high enough, as you’ll be aimed at the historic grounds of Pearl Harbor, before you follow the flashing lights on in to Runway 26L.

A. LDA: At an Angle