stevel@haddock.UUCP (06/25/85)
> Van Nuys is an interesting ILS approach--it has the steepest glide > slope of any ILS in the known world (as Tower records likes to say): > 3.9 degrees. > L. Miller I believe Rocky Mountain airways has the steepest ILS, well actually MLS, in the world. It is 7(?) degrees! It is also surrounded by mountains. Not only do their pilots need a type rating in their aircraft, DH-7's, but you need a type rating for the airport. It was in an article in a recent FLYING magazine. Unfortunatly for thrill seekers it is a private airport and if you fly in they make you take the plane apart and put on a truck to get it out. I will see if I can find the article to double check the facts. Steve Ludlum {decvax ! cca | yale | ihnp4 | cbosgd}!ima!stevel
peterb@pbear.UUCP (06/26/85)
> I believe Rocky Mountain airways has the steepest ILS, well > actually MLS, in the world. It is 7(?) degrees! It is also > surrounded by mountains. Not only do their pilots need a type > rating in their aircraft, DH-7's, but you need a type rating for > the airport. It was in an article in a recent FLYING magazine. > > Unfortunatly for thrill seekers it is a private airport and > if you fly in they make you take the plane apart and put on a truck > to get it out. I will see if I can find the article to double > check the facts. > > Steve Ludlum {decvax ! cca | yale | ihnp4 | cbosgd}!ima!stevel Rocky Mountain airways has built and placed several Microwave beacons up in the rocky's and by using a short range version of a Loran box, the know exactly how to get around up there. The position and frequencies of the beacons is a company secret, and all pilots are required to turn over their flight cases before leaving the plane. The FAA approved their placement and concealment of the beacons on the grounds that they are private property, and use of te information transmitted by the beacon is considered "theft of services". Peter Barada {ihnp4!inmet|{harvard|cca}!ima}!pbear!peterb
msw@drux3.UUCP (Mike Walpole) (06/28/85)
>> Van Nuys is an interesting ILS approach--it has the steepest glide >> slope of any ILS in the known world (as Tower records likes to say): >> 3.9 degrees. >> L. Miller > I believe Rocky Mountain airways has the steepest ILS, well > actually MLS, in the world. It is 7(?) degrees! It is also > surrounded by mountains. Not only do their pilots need a type > rating in their aircraft, DH-7's, but you need a type rating for > the airport. It was in an article in a recent FLYING magazine. > > Unfortunatly for thrill seekers it is a private airport and > if you fly in they make you take the plane apart and put on a truck > to get it out. I will see if I can find the article to double > check the facts. The airport is in Avon Co. (about 8 miles from Vail). It is a private airport and they won't let you fly out if you land there. Basically the airport is at 8500' and you start the approach after crossing Vail Pass (10,500') with an MDA of 12,000'. It takes a steep approach to lose 3500' in 20 miles. Mike Walpole
ark@alice.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (06/28/85)
Mike Walpole says: > The airport is in Avon Co. (about 8 miles from Vail). It is a private > airport and they won't let you fly out if you land there. Basically > the airport is at 8500' and you start the approach after crossing > Vail Pass (10,500') with an MDA of 12,000'. It takes a steep approach > to lose 3500' in 20 miles. If you are flying a standard 3 degree ILS glide slope, your glide ratio is 20:1. Thus you would lose one mile in 20, or about 6000 feet if it's 20 NM. Therefore, it takes a SHALLOW approach to lose 3500' in 20 miles.
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (06/28/85)
> Rocky Mountain airways has built and placed several Microwave beacons > up in the rocky's and by using a short range version of a Loran box, > the know exactly how to get around up there. The position and frequencies of > the beacons is a company secret, and all pilots are required to turn over > their flight cases before leaving the plane. > > The FAA approved their placement and concealment of the beacons on the grounds > that they are private property, and use of te information transmitted by the > beacon is considered "theft of services". > I actually knew someone who landed there when he lost his radios and had his plane impounded. You don't have to truck your plain out, you just need a Rocky Mountain Airways pilot to fly it out for you. Actually, I don't blame them. Many private airports have found that they are incurring liability for unauthorized landings that don't succeed at their fields. Given the description of the field, and the fact that we lose a few flatlander pilots in the mountains every year, it's probably a good thing that they discourage people not to land there. -Ron