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Chart Wise: Mackinac Island VOR/DME-A

This Midwest bucket list destination in Michigan offers an approach to a modest runway.

Here's a GPS look at the VOR-DME-A approach at Mackinac Island, Michigan. [Image: Jeppesen]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Mackinac Island Airport (KMCD) is a popular but challenging General Aviation destination, frequently requiring instrument approaches due to weather conditions.
  • The VOR/DME-A approach to KMCD is complex, beginning at a distant VOR (Pellston) which may necessitate a course reversal, and features a widening VOR course over the 14-mile segment to the missed approach point.
  • This approach offers only circling minimums, demanding a circle-to-land maneuver. Crucially, a dedicated DME receiver is essential for identifying the missed approach point, particularly when GPS is unavailable due to interference.
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Mackinac Island Airport (KMCD) in Michigan is close to home for me, and it’s one I visit a few times a year. Many pilots who fly in the Midwest have this historic tourist destination on their GA bucket list.

The runway isn’t long—a mere 3,501 feet—so depending on your aircraft performance, it might be shorter than many runways you use regularly. That being said, once you arrive and park, your aircraft may be the last motorized vehicle you use until you leave an island where time appears to have stood still. Enjoy the horse and buggy or bicycle ride into town or to the historic Grand Hotel. But before you get to relax, you just might find yourself in need of an approach to this airport where clouds often develop even in the summer months, thanks to the cool waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron that surround the island.

Jason Blair

Jason Blair is a flight instructor and an FAA designated pilot examiner, and an active author in the general aviation and flight training communities.

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