The Alternate Missed

I was in the left seat of a Beech Bonanza, receiving an instrument proficiency check in the Kansas City, Mo., area. We departed Lees Summit Municipal Airport (KLXT), simulating a takeoff into instrument conditions, and proceeded toward Midwest National Air Center Airport (KGPH), a short distance to the north. My instructor gave me headings to simulate radar vectors in the clear, cold and turbulent low-level air.

Tom Turner

Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Alternate missed approach procedures, often issued via NOTAMs due to navigation facility outages, are not included in GPS databases.
Pilots must be prepared to fly these procedures using traditional ground-based navigation (e.g., VORs) and manual techniques.
Thorough preflight review of FDC NOTAMs is crucial, as alternate procedure instructions (routes and altitudes) are found there, not on the approach chart.

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I was in the left seat of a Beech Bonanza, receiving an instrument proficiency check in the Kansas City, Mo., area. We departed Lee’s Summit Municipal Airport (KLXT), simulating a takeoff into instrument conditions, and proceeded toward Midwest National Air Center Airport (KGPH), a short distance to the north. My instructor gave me headings to simulate radar vectors in the clear, cold and turbulent low-level air.

We intercepted KGPH’s ILS Runway 18, turning inbound initially with a strong tailwind. I commented that we would probably have to descend at 700 fpm or more (as opposed to the normal 500-600 fpm) because of the high ground speed southbound. But quickly the wind changed; we bounced through the wind shear that accompanied the shift and, as it turned out, a normal descent kept us on the glideslope.