Chart Wise: New Orleans VOR DME 36L (KNEW)

A good GPS navigation system would help a lot on this Louisiana approach.

Jason Blair

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 09:28 AM ET

Verified

Here's a look at the approach to Lakefront Airport (KNEW) in New Orleans. [Image: Jeppesen]

Key Takeaways:

The VOR DME Runway 36L approach to Lakefront Airport (KNEW) is unexpectedly complex, primarily due to mandatory DME requirements from the Harvey (HRV) VOR.
Pilots must carefully manage initial navigation and multiple step-down fixes, which are all defined by specific DME distances from the HRV VOR.
The missed approach procedure is particularly intricate, requiring a transition between the HRV and RQR VORs and precise tracking of DME from the correct VOR at each stage.
An IFR GPS navigator is highly recommended to simplify navigation and DME management throughout this challenging approach, especially given its complexities.

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A pilot traveling to New Orleans might choose to avoid the business commercial airport to the west and instead fly into Lakefront Airport (KNEW) to be closer to downtown. Doing so, it might become useful to approach the airport via the VOR DME Runway 36L approach.

For what looks like a pretty straightforward VOR approach at first glance, there is a lot going on here that might trip up a pilot—and using a solid IFR GPS navigator would help significantly.