The RNAV GPS Z approach to Runway 3 at Santa Monica is so new (April 2017), many pilots might not yet even be aware of its existence. (Two additional approaches to SMO were commissioned at the same time.) This new approach comes with a handful of restrictions, many of which are significant enough to demand a pilot closely scrutinize the approach plate before the first attempt. Expect speed, climb, approach minimums and time-of-day restrictions, just for starters. It’s also an LP, not an LPV, approach, which translates into a more traditional non-precision-approach procedure. It’s worth noting the prevailing winds are coming from the west, putting the airplane in a tailwind at the completion of the approach.
Chart Wise: Training and Technique
Key Takeaways:
- The recently commissioned RNAV GPS Z approach to SMO Runway 3 (LP) is a non-precision procedure with numerous significant restrictions, including being unauthorized at night.
- Pilots must closely scrutinize varying approach minimums, which depend on meeting the demanding missed approach climb gradient (stated in feet per nautical mile), and adhere to a 175-knot speed limit during the nonstandard 5nm missed approach legs.
- The approach features a 30-degree offset final approach course requiring pilots to look left for the runway, and presents a safety concern for single-engine aircraft due to relatively low altitude over water.
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