October
2004 FOTM
Chile.
This FOTM was inspired by a "World Air Routes" DVD with the title
"Lan Chile A320/340/B737-200."
Naturally, I've not included any of the A340 flights because they are too long for most of you to be bothered with. I've decided instead to go with the 737-200 flights because they are short, "straight up and straight down again" flights across mountainous terrain: exactly what the 737 was designed to cope with.
Note:
1. The video makes it all look so easy. It isn't! The steep, slow descent profile into Santiago is anything but routine, and if the weather is particularly bad, then you may not be able to land at all.
2.
Since the video was completed, all the flight numbers listed below have changed
and the flight from Cordoba to Santiago (an evening flight departing 5.45pm) is
now flown by an A320 as Flight LA500.
If
you want to select your own flight number from the latest up to date flight
schedules, then check out www.flightlookup.com
SUMMARY:
There are three jet flights for you to complete:
1. LA 985: An 80-minute flight from Cordoba, Argentina to Santiago, Chile.
2. LA 043: A 60minute flight from Santiago to Concepcion, Chile.
3. LA 043 continued: A 50minute flight from Concepcion, to Valdivia.
All three flights can easily be completed over two successive days. The mountainous terrain results in some tricky approaches, especially into Santiago. October is spring in Chile, so if that you happen to download clear "Real Weather" conditions on the day that you fly, you will enjoy some spectacular mountain scenery along these routes.
THE
AIRCRAFT.
You
will find (b737lexp.zip) at www.flightsim.com and I highly recommend that you
install (737_fin.zip) for an authentic looking "clockwork and steam"
type 200-series panel. If you don't know how to install aircraft into your
simulator program, or you are unused to jet flying,
don't drop out now. Instead, I recommend that you use one of the FS program's
default 737 400s which have a built-in "autoland" feature, which will
get you safely onto the ILS runway at Santiago. Refer
to my January'04 FOTM notes to find out more about how the autoland feature
works
THE
FLIGHTS IN DETAIL.
1. LA 985: An 80-minute flight from Cordoba, Argentina (SACO) to Santiago, Chile. (SCEL)
Your starting point is Ing Aeron Ambrosio Lv Taravel (SACO) Elevation: +1604
Runways are 18/36 (10499ft long) and 05/23 (7398ft long)
Use the flight planner to create an IFR route from SACO to SCEL selecting a cruise altitude of 31,000ft.
In FS2002, the flight planner will only offer you a straight line GPS track into Santiago on a heading of 248 degrees. (Sadly unrealistic I know), however this straight-line route closely approximates the UA307 jet route from Cordoba to Mendoza (DOZ 114.90) Coincidentally, Mendoza marks your Top of Descent (T.O.D.) into Santiago.
Copy the following airport information and paste it into your "notes" page in your kneeboard, prior your departure.
AIRPORT INFORMATION:
Arturo Merino Benitez Intl (SCEL)
ATIS Frequency: 132.100 MHz
Elevation: +1554
Runway Length Surface ILS ID ILS Freq. ILS Hdg.
17 12303 Asphalt IUEL 110.30 171
35 12303 Asphalt *** *** ***
Tune your standby navigation radio frequencies to 116.10 and tune the ADF to 205. Now get your IFR clearance and be ready to depart from either from Runway 18 or 36, depending on the prevailing winds. You will be vectored around onto the correct track, heading into the sun, which will be sitting very low on the western horizon. If you adhere strictly to the published schedule, it will be almost dark by the time you begin your approach into Santiago, so you won't be able to appreciate the surrounding snow-topped mountains. Doesn't matter, you will have your hands full trying to follow ATC instructions and you'll be too busy to look outside anyway.
Because
of the mountains in the immediately vicinity of Santiago, ATC will keep you at a
high altitude even when you are relatively close to the airport. For
example; on the day that I test flew this route for you, I was vectored south of
the airport for a visual (backcourse) approach onto runway 35. I was just 38DME
from the airport when I was instructed to descend to 15,000 ft.
At just 22DME from the airport I was instructed to descend to 9,800 ft! FS
2000 users, without ATC guidance, will really need to get hold of an approach
chart, otherwise you'll be headed for trouble.
As you can see, to avoid being too high on your final approach, you will need to slow right down well in advance (using spoilers as necessary), and just as importantly you will need to make some very steep, stepped descents to your assigned altitudes!
To tell you the truth, the wild windy weather during the final approach stage of my test flight (back in March 2004) made this the most difficult approach and landing that I have made in all my years of jet simulation.
So
make sure that you tune in to the airport's ATIS well in advance of your final
approach, and if conditions sound as though they are too much for you to handle;
play it safe, cancel your flight plan and head for an alternative destination
until conditions improve!
Good
luck with this one!
2. LA 043: A 60minute flight from Santiago (SCEL) to Concepcion, Chile.(SCIE)
Your
starting point for
this flight is :
Arturo Merino Benitez Intl (SCEL) elevation 1554ft.
Use the flight planner to create an IFR route from SCEL to SCIE selecting a cruise altitude of 28,000ft.
In FS2002, the flight planner offers you a high level route from AMB (116.10) to CAR (114.30) on a heading of 202 degrees. (This is jet route UW109) .I suggest that you delete the first waypoint (AMB) at the point of departure as this only confuses the hell out of ATC during your departure.
Copy the following airport information and paste it into your "notes" page in your kneeboard, prior your departure.
AIRPORT INFORMATION:
Carriel Sur Intl (SCIE)
Elevation: +26
Runway Length Surface ILS ID ILS Freq. ILS Hdg.
2 7546 Asphalt ICEP 109.90 016
20 7546 Asphalt *** *** ***
Tune your standby navigation radio frequencies to 114.30 and tune the ADF to 225. Now get your IFR clearance and be ready to depart from either from Runway 35 or 17, depending on the prevailing winds.
I
must tell you that the windshear that I encountered during the departure stage
of my test flight (back in March 2004) made the takeoff and climb-out from
Santiago very interesting indeed. And during my ILS approach into Concepcion,
thick cloud right down to 700ft took me by surprise. (I had to "go
missed").
Oh yeah, I should warn you that if you are using the 200 series panel that I recommended, this plane will not "lock on" to the approach mode; hence your ILS approach skills may be tested to the limit.
Once again, good luck with this one!
3. LA 043 continued: A 50minute flight from Concepcion, (SCIE) to Valdivia.(SCVD)
Hardly even worth turning off the seatbelt signs for this flight! It's straightforward enough, but the runway at Valdivia is not very long and there is no ILS to guide you in.
Use the flight planner to create an IFR route from SCIE to SCVD selecting a cruise altitude of 26,000ft.
In FS2002, the flight planner offers you a high level route from CAR (116.10) to VLD (114.50) on a heading of 170 degrees. (This is jet route UW200) .As previously suggested, you should delete the first waypoint (CAR) at the point of departure otherwise ATC might start you off by sending you around in circles.
Copy the following airport information and paste it into your "notes" page in your kneeboard, prior your departure.
AIRPORT INFORMATION:
Pichoy (SCVD)
Elevation: +59
Runway Length Surface ILS ID ILS Freq. ILS Hdg.
17 5577 Concrete *** *** ***
35 5577 Concrete *** *** ***
Tune your standby navigation radio frequencies to 114.50 and tune the ADF to 208. Now get your IFR clearance and be ready to depart from either from Runway 02 or 20, depending on the prevailing winds.
After takeoff, you'll be vectored onto jet route UW200 and before you know it you'll be descending again into Valdivia. There is no ATIS at Valdivia, so you won't know in advance if the weather is suitable for a visual landing. Make sure that you have enough fuel to climb out and return to Concepcion if you are unable to land at SCVD.
That's it! But there are plenty of other interesting and scenic places to explore while you're down this way
For all that try this FOTM, the big unknown variable will be the weather, just as in real life. I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I did.
Bill
Smith