KMRY Approaches (?)

[VWGhiaBob]

This newbie IFR pilot is flying to Monterey this weekend, and it's almost certain to be one of those foggy California Coast IFR marine layer approaches. Question...for those who use KMRY...the ILS comes in over the ocean...which probably results in a tailwind and is the opposite direction from the usual Westbound approach.

During foggy days, does anyone know what approach they use typically? Am I likely to get a tailwind ILS approach, or do they normally use one of the other approaches, westbound heading?

Thanks in advance!

 

[luvflyin]

Haven’t flown there so I don’t know for sure. But if the weather is as you describe I’m not seeing much option other than the ILS 10 unless you have RNP Authorization for the Z Approach to 28. I wouldn’t expect the wind to be too nasty if there is Fog

 

[kayoh190]

It’s been a few years, but in my experience they prefer to land west unless they need the ILS for the minimums - there are more rich folk under the approach path to 10.

 

[aterpster]

This newbie IFR pilot is flying to Monterey this weekend, and it's almost certain to be one of those foggy California Coast IFR marine layer approaches. Question...for those who use KMRY...the ILS comes in over the ocean...which probably results in a tailwind and is the opposite direction from the usual Westbound approach.

During foggy days, does anyone know what approach they use typically? Am I likely to get a tailwind ILS approach, or do they normally use one of the other approaches, westbound heading?

Thanks in advance!

ILS 10R is the only viable option if it is foggy. 300' DA and RVR 2400.

 

[Rykymus]

Used to live in Monterey. Also after getting my IR it was one of my regular destinations. I've landed both directions. Usually, if the fog is low enough to require the ILS minimums to get down, there is almost no wind to speak of. (If there was, the fog would've gotten blown off.) The ILS from out over the ocean is pretty easy. Watch out for the RNAV Yankee approach from the East, as it doesn't line up directly with the runway, and you have a slight turn to the right before landing. Overall, though, both approaches are pretty easy.

 

[luvflyin]

Used to live in Monterey. Also after getting my IR it was one of my regular destinations. I've landed both directions. Usually, if the fog is low enough to require the ILS minimums to get down, there is almost no wind to speak of. (If there was, the fog would've gotten blown off.) The ILS from out over the ocean is pretty easy. Watch out for the RNAV Yankee approach from the East, as it doesn't line up directly with the runway, and you have a slight turn to the right before landing. Overall, though, both approaches are pretty easy.

How long ago? Do you remember that wicked Missed Approach Procedure that used to be there?

 

[aterpster]

How long ago? Do you remember that wicked Missed Approach Procedure that used to be there?

In order to use the lowest minimums the present ILS requires a climb gradient almost twice the missed approach standard of 200'/nm.

 

[luvflyin]

In order to use the lowest minimums the present ILS requires a climb gradient almost twice the missed approach standard of 200'/nm.

Yeah. Talkin about MRY got me thinking about a Missed Approach there years ago that required ADF and it was complicated. I think you had to make two bearing intercepts. I don’t remember anything about gradients but I’d bet they were shallower then. You would pretty much start it out with a left 180, join a bearing outbound from the NDB, it was either a LOM or LMM. It took a lot of the terrain to the East out of the equation I think. CFII’s in the area loved to go to MRY and torture students with it or so the story goes.

 

[aterpster]

Yeah. Talkin about MRY got me thinking about a Missed Approach there years ago that required ADF and it was complicated. I think you had to make two bearing intercepts. I don’t remember anything about gradients but I’d bet they were shallower then. You would pretty much start it out with a left 180, join a bearing outbound from the NDB, it was either a LOM or LMM. It took a lot of the terrain to the East out of the equation I think. CFII’s in the area loved to go to MRY and torture students with it or so the story goes.

Yes, I recall returning to the LOM. But, I recall that was before they had radar.

 

[luvflyin]

Yes, I recall returning to the LOM. But, I recall that was before they had radar.

I’m pretty sure it was there for quite awhile after they got Radar. Do you know of an online place that has old Approach archives

 

[aterpster]

I’m pretty sure it was there for quite awhile after they got Radar. Do you know of an online place that has old Approach archives

No I don't.

 

[j1b3h0]

Shooting the ILS in a single requires being pretty far from land (too far to glide, anyway). Something to think about. Also, if you ever fly in there on a really stormy day, MRY gets some whoopa55 turbulence. I used fly to Metroliners in there, and one night we left SFO impossibly late-some 3 and half hours later than scheduled. The dozen or so passengers all furious at us, because they could’ve yunno, driven there by then. We completed the Eugen departure off the 1s in San Fran, climbed to 7000ft and were heading toward MRY with a solid undercast, tops around 5,500ft., when my First Officer looks at me, after getting the ATIS, and says “Doug, the tower is closed!” The jist of which meant we weren’t legal to shoot an approach. Damn. I glanced at my passengers and was thinking I may never hear the end of this if I return to SFO.
“Hey, ask center what’s their minimum vectoring altitude” (the last we heard, MRY was 1800 overcast). Center says 3,800ft. I got to thinking what would I have done in my freighter dog days. I asked my copilot to get the Salinas WX. He tells me it’s 1500 over and 5 miles in rain.
“How old is that report?” He tells me fresh as a daisy, it came from the FSS on the field.
We ended up shooting the ILS to Salinas, then breaking off the approach once beneath the clouds. We pulled it off but it was sporty as Monterey was probably 1100 over in pouring rain.