IR Lesson 13 ILS w/ NDB Approach

Today’s lesson was located out in Nittney Lion country, that’s right “WE ARE, PENN STATE.” This was a switch for me compared to the ILS approaches I have been flying in the local area. KUNV, University Park Airport located three miles north of State College, Pennsylvania sits at an elevation of 1240’. University Park has one runway, 6-24 that is 6701ft x 150 ft.

I was flying the ILS RWY 24 approach this morning and set up somewhere north west of the PSB, Philipsburg VOR. The plan was to hold altitude at 4900 ft and track direct to PSB. I crossed PSB and turned to a heading of 102* to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) PENUE. PENUE is also a Non Directional Beacon (NDB)as explained in my previous lesson.

I continued on course now trying to hold 4800ft for the next 11.2 miles or until crossing PENUE. At PENUE I turned course to 067* and timed outbound for one minute thirty seconds remaining within ten miles of the station. At the 1:30 mark I turned right on a course of 109* and timed outbound for one minute. This series of turns was the procedure turn to head inbound towards the NDB PENUE and on to the Airport. As one minute clicked on by I made a left turn course change to 289* and looked to intercept the localizer on a heading of 244*. Things were not looking to bad, holding altitude better and heading was also much better. Of course this is the sim world and nothing good lasts forever.

As I approached the 244* course I had a vacuum failure, Attitude indicator is now inop along with my heading indicator and for good measure why not disable my CDI with glide slope. Yes, the poop hits the fan all at once. I’m at a strange airport with no real knowledge of the surrounding area and now partial panel. Brian asks now what, as I am still trying to 'fly the plane' and intercept the localizer. I would let ATC know I have a vacuum failure and lost my glide slope but will still utilize the localizer apparoach (on my nav 2). I get an ok, lets see you work through it. First let me add there is no alternate to got to and no vectors to VFR conditions, this is sim training so we are having at it, as they say.

I am trying to monitor the Garmin 530 which is mounted down by my right leg (really bad sim design here) along with my magnetic compass and turn indicator adding altimeter every other loop through the scan. I cross the 244* localizer and start to get behind the plane, struggling to keep up. Brain lets me tread water as I sink under once working on a second dunk. Between the Garmin and the remaining instruments I get back on course. I am now descending to 3100ft until passing PENUE the final approach fix (FAF). Once passed the FAF I am good to descend to 1426' if still on the ILS but since I lost nav 1 with my glide slope I am localizer only and looking for my Decision Height of 1620'. I break out around 1650' and get the sim bird on the runway, in one piece.

We review what just went on and that I was so fixated on what I had remaining (instruments) that I didn't look to take advantage of all my weapons available. I didn't even think of my ADF moving-card indicator which would have helped replace the Directional Gyro/Heading Indicator failure. I need to understand what I have available and use it to my advantage. I could have also timed my turns to help control my course better.

Brian reset me somewhere on final without the failures and I tracked inbound to PENUE, passing the station and descending to 1426'. I held that altitude until the 3:40 mark on the timer and when I had no runway environment in sight I then went missed. The missed approach called for a straight out climb to 2600' then a climbing left turn direct PENUE then hold. I did fine on the missed and entered the hold when my lesson time expired, I have alot to work on. More after my next lesson Sunday.