Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 2002 22:20:28 -0500
Message-ID: <redirect-1891442@logan.com>
From: AVIDWIZ@aol.com
Subject: Sierra Flight Systems Saves The Day
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Gentlemen:

Just thought I would relate a situation where the SFS EFIS 2000 really came 
in handy.

I was flying to Taft/Kern County Airport which is an un-controlled field with 
NO IFR Approach.

The weather was clear VFR but haze and about 4 mi visability.   The problem 
is the landing was at twilight onto runway 26 which was facing into the 
sunset.   On downwind I had great runway environment visability but as soon 
as I turned base leg, POOF the runway disappeared in the haze and got no 
better when I turned toward where the final for runway should have been.  I 
still had plenty of horizon reference and could see the hills in the distance 
but visability directly into the sun - which is where the runway was located 
- had been reduced substantially. 

After I got overhead, I could see the runway fine straight down but the haze 
diminished visability into the sun...a factor we often deal with in southern 
calofirnia.

I was about to abort the mission and go back to LA when I decided to make one 
more attempt using the VFR approach in the SFS EFIS.   From overhead the 
field at 1500 AGL I programmed a VFR approach WPT for runway 26 and the map 
gave me an IP to fly to and the green skyway boxes guided me perfectly on the 
centerline of the runway.  Once I dropped below the point where the sun was 
hidden behind a ridgeline located about 15 miles west of the airport, the 
haze stopped being a problem and I found myself on a  3 mi final in a perfect 
approach angle for landing.

Bottom line the Sierra VFR Approach guidance is a really valuable tool 
especially for hard to find airports, at night in an urban area where all the 
lights are distracting or in un-familiar surroundings.    I would never 
attempt this in IMC but in this instance it was a cool feature that made a 
landing safe and managable.

Regards,


Dave Riggs