Altitude Management

[gfd 15]

Greetings

 

I am new to Radar Contact. I want to begin navigating the learning curve. I am in the midst of the manual. How refreshing...a very complete manual! I digress. What I would appreciate is an idea of how best to manage altitude.

 

Example, the approach into Calgary International Airport (CYYC) from the West, is somewhat abrupt. Over the course of the final ~100 miles, altitude changes by about 8000 feet. I don't want to get vectored into a mountain.

 

What is the best approach to terrain avoidance? Is there a way to associate a minimum altitude with a given waypoint?

 

I am sure that the best answer is somewhere in the manual, but I hope you'll give me a muligan on this one.

 

Thanks

Graham

[ronzie 21]

I found 2010 charts for CYYC from this virtual airline resource:

 

http://www.bostonvirtualatc.com/charts/index.html?Page=CYYC_index.html

 

Arriving from the NW DALLI6 looks good and from the SW OPALE1 looks good for STAR transition points. These are RNAV STAR charts.

 

Note that vectors are required to get you to the IAF of most approaches.

 

Altitude restrictions are published on the charts.

 

In RC4 there is no way to setup altitude restrictions. You can use, however, the RC NOTAMS option which will allow you to deviate from arrival RC commanded altitudes. See the RC manual.

 

Since unless you specify otherwise RC will pick a suitable runway about 40 nm out using ai patterns and weather in that order, you don't know ahead of time which runway it will assign.

 

In this example you can include common waypoints used by all runways from your arrival direction in the plan sent to RC. You have the option of requesting a specific IAP after approach assigns a runway and you ack the first vector, By doing that you can select the IAP for the assigned runway which will allow you to use from that point a STAR and approach procedure stored in your FMS/FMC data base without RC monitoring or vectors and on your own guide yourself to to merge with the ILS using information on your STAR charts and your FMC/FMS.

 

As an example using DALLY is the incoming transition point off your airway from a NW arrival, you can use DALLY, HEMP, and CAIN in the plan sent to RC good for runways 16, 10, 28, and 34. See the chart altitude restrictions on the chart route or in the instruction sections  off to the side. From the SW using OPALE as the transition point off your airway you would enter OPALE, HANDA, ALBRO, HANSI, into the plan sent to RC. If you choose the RC IAP option you would vector yourself from HANSI to the merge with the runway RC initially assigned of 10, 16, or 34 oror continuing to MOGOT for 28. Altitudes again are right on the chart.

 

If let want RC to vector you they would start just past OPALE on that STAR or DALLY on that STAR being about 35 nm from the airport.

 

The IAP approach charts have mapped altitude surface somewhat.

 

In your comment about altitude change, 8,000 feet in 100 miles is very manageable. To meet the chart requirements know how to descend abruptly if necessary by slowing down and using drag devices (spoilers and flaps) if necessary.

[ap1 16]

Hi, could someone please check my thread at http://forum.avsim.net/topic/440525-radar-contact-flight-planning/ Thanks

[gfd 15]

ronzie

 

Thanks for the reply. I had been using a different ATC addon and am anxious to get started with RC. From what I see, Radar Contact does just what I want, with exception of allowing me to specify altitudes. I take your point regarding NOTAMS and IAPs. I will experiment and report back on my successes and/or failures. Again, thanks for the reply.

 

Graham