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Springs, Salt Lake, or Reno. The ODP might say: No left turns before 7 miles or 4,000 feet. This type of ODP is common at fields with big rocks nearby.
The missed approach procedure for a GPS approach would most likely begin somewhere around 500 agl and near the runway threshold. It could have you make an immediate 90 degree climbing turn to the left and thus turn you three or four miles BEFORE the obstacle. If you begin the missed approach procedure (instead of the ODP) when you lose an engine on take off at 600 feet, and you are at or beyond the departure end of the runway, you may be turning directly into the obstructions. If following the ODP you would not turn for several more miles. This is also the reason you should carefully evaluate the published missed approach procedure from a touch-and-go or low approach scenario.
I invented this fictitious example with built in traps to emphasize that there may be situations where the missed approach procedure, if begun from below and past the intended starting point of the procedure, may ruin your day – in a noisy and potentially deadly fashion. This is especially true if your performance is severely degraded by the loss of an engine, or slightly degraded if one or more of your gear fails to retract. As mentioned in Fuzzy Math, if you are using some type of terrain mapping display in a takeoff engine failure scenario, you would graphically see the error in your plan as you started the missed approach procedure from the wrong place – and saw all that red you were about to turn towards. Without a rock monitor you must rely totally on published procedures.
Unsurvivable Missed Approach
Now that we’ve figured out the missed approach procedure vs. ODP on take off, what will you do if you
lose an engine during the missed approach – before you reach the altitude(s) in the procedure? Turn anyway? Turn beyond where it says to turn because you waited to get to the altitude? Thought provoking, huh? After reading my fictitious scenario full of traps, can you build a scenario for yourself with an engine failure during the missed that is not survivable? That’s why you’re the Pilot in Command. You should be constantly asking yourself: Where are the rocks now? Where is my out? You should have an answer for yourself, by the way. In the unsurvivable scenario you came up with, the answer you told yourself should have been at the beginning of the approach where you said to yourself: Self – If I lose an engine anytime from this point until this other point, I have to land no mater what; runway or no runway. Another, much easier answer in the unsurvivable missed approach is: I’m not going to shoot this approach today. I need more: visibility/ ceiling/power/kahunas.....fill in the blank with any excuse you want. Even the hair on the back of your neck excuse is plenty good enough. You could also look at an approach for a different runway that has fewer obstacles on the missed. Use some of that enroute time while at altitude (after you finish your beignet) to look at the approach, the missed approach and the ODP.
There are some good reasons to have that approach chart out and programmed for takeoff as you do, however. One is that it shows the min safe altitudes and the highest obstacles; both natural and man made. You’re particularly interested in the ones off the end of your departure runway. Another reason is, you can use it for an immediate return, assuming you didn’t trash the runway too much on take off. The departure runway may be unusable for return if you hit something on takeoff like a deer, water buffalo or
those darned rabbits. Even if not clear, your takeoff runway may be the safest option for an immediate return however. So keep that approach plate out and programmed in the GPS, but the DP and ODP are the way to go on take off – to avoid being: On The Rocks.
Don’t Be Wrong
Imagine getting that response for your kudos to a magazine; told you I get long-winded. But it would be a missed opportunity if I didn’t talk aboutit–andacrimeifIletyouhit an obstruction or the rocks while executing a home-made procedure. I’m not averse to deviating from rules and procedures if needed for safety of flight. And sometimes any plan is better than no plan. But if you need to deviate from procedure, don’t be wrong. The reader now concedes his idea was maybe not as good as he thought, and I hope you have some new things to consider. Fret not though, most responses to readers are concise and cause little cerebral distention, so please keep writing to us, about the good and the bad. We’re not the feds and we
love blueberry pie. T&T •
Kevin Dingman has been flying for 39 years. He’s an ATP typed in the B737 and DC9 with 18,000 hours. A retired Air Force Major; he flew the F-16 then performed as a USAF Civil Air Patrol Liai- son Officer. He flies volunteer missions for the Christian or- ganization Wings Of Mercy, is employed by a major airline, and owns and operates a Beech- craft Duke. Contact Kevin at Dinger10d@gmail.com.
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