Chart Wise: Borrego Valley RNAV (GPS) Rwy 26

Southern California airport offers desert views on approach.

Jason Blair

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 at 08:48 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

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Key Takeaways:

The GPS approach to Borrego Valley Airport Runway 26 is a non-precision LNAV step-down approach, requiring strict adherence to course due to high terrain surrounding the airport and the absence of a glideslope.
Pilots must navigate complex turns, including a significant turn at the Final Approach Fix (FAF), to align with the runway.
The approach features specific instructions for circling left traffic to Runway 8 (prohibiting circling south) and a distinctive "U-turn" missed approach procedure back to the east.

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A trip to the nearby Salton Sea, a hike in Slot Canyon, or a rare chance to visit the desert wildflower displays, if you time it right, might take you to this airport in Borrego Springs, California, with one singular GPS approach to Runway 26.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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