— from Anthony Simpson, Port of Orcas —
Eastsound residents probably couldn’t help but notice a blue and white Lear Jet that made repeated approaches and departures at the Orcas Airport on Monday morning June 24th. The Lear Jet that made the passes is owned by the Federal Aviation Administration and is highly instrumented to evaluate airport navigation components and instrument procedures to ensure their accuracy and safety. In this instance, the FAA was re-evaluating the visual glide slope indicators (VGSI) on both runways to ensure they were set to the correct glidepath and baffled correctly for terrain south of the airport. During the flight check, the southern indicator was found to be out of tolerance and multiple passes were needed to dial it in.
In addition to checking the VGSI on each runway, this flight check also evaluated a new, draft standard instrument departure (SID) to the South. When published, the new SID will permit safe departures with significantly lower ceilings and visibilities than currently permitted. There is also an instrument approach from the north in development that will permit safe arrivals with comparable weather. While the departure was evaluated today and passed, along with the two VGSIs, the Lear Jet that was here today is not sophisticated enough to conduct the approach evaluation so that means another flight check aircraft will return later this summer to evaluate the approach. The approach and departure are scheduled for publication in September.
When all is said and done, the approach from the north and departure to the south should significantly improve the all-weather capability of the airport for local pilots and commercial operators. The hope is that travelers will have less need to have a “ferry backup plan” when traveling in the winter.
So, in low-visibility weather does this mean that planes taking off to the South will be flying lower? If, so, it doesn’t sound safe or of benefit to our Hearing for those of us in the flight path to the south. Spirit Eagle
Thanks for this article! We watched these repeated approaches from the golf course, each one lower and lower, and were wondering what the heck was going on. Now we know.
I would imagine that “SID” means they would be taking off and landing using INSTRUMENTS during lower visibility periods…not necessarily lowering the glide path, et al… any pilots out there who could enlighten us, and forestall worries?
While the SID will permit takeoffs when the weather has a lower ceiling or less visibility, the terrain clearance requirements to do so will require that the aircraft actually be farther away from the ground than during visual departures (they will climb steeper to ensure terrain separation). As a result, the noise from this kind of departure should actually be less than a typical visual departure. In addition, only instrument rated pilots and properly equipped aircraft that are also capable of meeting the climb gradient requirements will be able and permitted to fly the departure.
Thanks Tony! That’s a relief! Spirit Eagle