Until the recent slowdown in travel because of the COVID-19 virus, Branson, Missouri, was a top destination in the Ozarks for families with kids, boasting a host of live shows, restaurants, golf courses, museums, hiking trails and much more. While everyone hopes the lull in flying to getaways such as Branson will be short, the current downtime offers pilots a perfect opportunity to tune up their IFR chart-reading skills. This time, we offer up the RNAV (GPS) Runway 32 approach into Branson’s privately owned, public- use airport (KBBG), sporting a 7,140-foot runway where most of the traffic is itinerant, not local flight training.
Chart Wise: Branson RNAV (GPS) RWY 32
Key Takeaways:
- Pilots should utilize initial approach fixes (IAFs) for potentially more efficient and lower-altitude transitions to the KBBG RNAV (GPS) Runway 32 approach, and crucially, be aware of the nearby, similarly aligned M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport (KPLK) to prevent misidentification.
- For non-WAAS aircraft, strict adherence to LNAV MDA minimums is vital, noting the obstacle clearance issue before ASUKE which requires pilots to avoid premature descent, and calculating the precise descent rate based on groundspeed for the 3-degree glidepath.
- The approach features a straightforward missed approach (climb straight ahead to 4,000 feet MSL to WITUB), and pilots are advised to pre-plan and set necessary ATC frequencies to avoid last-minute rushing.
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