Gotchas in Paradise

Knowing Good and Evil was a problem in the original Paradise, but around the PDZ VOR, managing direction, altitude, and what’s next is your only hope of success.

Ryan Koch and Jeff Van West

Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The article outlines a challenging flight simulator exercise consisting of four complex instrument approaches in the Los Angeles area, designed to test pilot proficiency.
Each approach contains specific "gotchas" such as significant wind gradients, an inoperative VOR requiring GPS navigation for departures and missed approaches, and non-standard descent profiles.
Key challenges include accurately managing steep descent rates, identifying the correct runway among close parallels in low visibility, and executing intricate missed approach procedures or circling-to-land requirements.
The exercise emphasizes the critical need for meticulous pre-flight briefing, anticipating unusual conditions, and precise hand-flying skills to successfully navigate complex instrument flight scenarios.

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This Sim Challenge will keep you busy with four complex approaches in close proximity. Choose any plane you want. Brief each procedure carefully as each contains both subtle and not-so-subtle traps and gotchas. Use an FAA-approved sim and you’ll be 4/6 of the way to resetting currency.

Position the plane at Bracket Field (KPOC). Set surface wind to 310 at 10 knots, and another layer at 4000 feet of 030 at 40. That’s a significant wind gradient that you’ll have to anticipate and manage as you fly these approaches. We recommend hand flying to make things even more, um, interesting.