Aviation Topic of the Week
By Michael Oxner, August 8, 2004


Introduction
Previous Week's Topic
Following Week's Topic
Aviation in Canada Blog
Archives

This week's topic:
VFR Flight Example, Part 5: Debert

This week, our pilot approaches CCQ3, Debert, NS. According to the original flight plan, he wants to do a simple touch and go at Debert before heading in to CYHZ, Halifax International, NS. There are some chart snippets in this week's topic, and I wish to reiterate that these are clips from outdated charts, solely meant for illustration purposes in the context of this example flight. For real-world navigation, make darn good and sure you use current, real-world charts.

Planning the Approach
Radio Calls
Joining the Circuit
Touch and Go
Clearing the Area

Planning the Approach

Before he left Moncton, our pilot did all the pre-requisite planning I had mentioned. He also did one more thing that I didn't mention. He researched the airports in his flight plan to determine if there are any procedures associated with each one that he should know about. This included Moncton (as his departure point), Debert (where he plans a touch and go), and Halifax (his destination). As mentioned before, his research about CCQ3 indicates that it is just outside the Class D airspace surrounding Halifax, so he need not call Halifax Terminal as he approaches from the north. Forecast winds for both Halifax and Moncton indicated the winds would be light out of the west, so it's likely on this fine day the winds will be westerly at CCQ3, too. The Canada Flight Supplement in effect when this flight was planned says this about Debert:

COMM
         ATF
         ARR
         DEP


unicom ltd hrs O/T tfc 123.0   5NM 3,100 ASL
Halifax Tml 119.2
Halifax Tml 119.2
(some segments left out)
PRO
Rgt hand circuits auth for glider & tow planes (CAR 602.96). DO NOT OVERFLY AERODROME during glider ops. Preferred rwy 23 gliders, rwy27 others, winds permitting. Glider ops 123.0 dur glider activity.
CAUTION
Glider activity Jun-Aug. Vehicle & acft launching. All twys ruf. Paradrops Jan to May & Sep to Dec below 12,500 ASL within 2 NM. Rwy 05/23 surfaces deteriorating. 2000' abandoned portion of rwy 05/23 suitable for taxi only.

These tell us several important things. First off, our radio calls, given the time of day (around midday) are likely to be directed to Debert Unicom. Were this the middle of the night, we'd likely have no ground station in operation, meaning we would directing calls to "Debert Traffic" on the same frequency, 123.0 (O/T means "other times"). Aerodrome Traffic Frequency (ATF) procedures are in effect, which means that aircraft with radios within the area specified must broadcast their intentions on that frequency. The ATF also allows for aircraft without radios as well, unlike a Mandatory Frequency (MF). The ARR and DEP sections refer to IFR aircraft departing and arriving CCQ3, so they don't apply to our pilot on this flight.

In the PRO (short for "procedures") and CAUTION sections, CCQ3 has a few things of interest for us. Winds permitting, we should plan on using runway 27 at CCQ3. Gliders are likely to be operating on runway 23, since we're in the June to August period specified in the CAUTION section, and in setting up for runway 27, our pilot is not allowed to overfly the aerodrome. This means he has to find another way to get in there, since approaching an east-west runway from the north to allow for a westerly landing, the pilot would normally be required to overfly the runway at about midpoint to join the downwind leg for the left-hand circuit. He'll have to call up UNICOM and see what's out there for traffic and winds to plan further. Also, since right-hand circuits are authorized for runway 23, the pilot might encounter someone north of the airport setting up on a right-hand downwind for runway 23.

Last item of note: Descent. In Class E airspace, no clearance is required for a VFR aircraft to change altitude. The pilot determines an appropriate point to begin descent, and descends when he is certain there is no traffic in front of him to conflict with and no terrain or obstructions to cause major headaches or aircraft loss. Our pilot has chosen to descend at about 500 feet per minute. Given that he has to lose approximately 2,500 feet to reach circuit altitude, he'll start descent at about 5 minutes out of the circuit pattern, perhaps as far back as 10 minutes out of CCQ3. Running at about 2 NM per minute, starting descent at 10 minutes back means he'll begin descent approximately 20 NM north of CCQ3. All of this is just a guideline, but it is practical.

Radio Calls

The following radio sequence takes place when the pilot determines he is at the point where the radio call is required. What is that point?, you might ask. The regulations for radio calls at an ATF/MF area includes a call 5 minutes prior to commencing an approach. Other calls are required elsewhere, such as in the downwind leg and when on final. This call starts the ball rolling, telling other aircraft where you are and what you plan to do *before* you get to the area of concern.

CGOOF: "Debert Unicom, Cessna Golf Oscar Oscar Foxtrot."
UNICOM: "Cessna Golf Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, Debert Unicom."
CGOOF: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot ten miles north, three thousand five hundred, inbound for a touch and go enroute to Halifax."
UNICOM: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, preferred runway two seven, winds two eight zero at five knots, altimeter three zero zero two. Traffic is an L-19 in the right hand circuit runway two three and two gliders west of the field reported inbound for runway two three, also right hand."
CGOOF: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, roger. I'll stay outside five miles of Debert and join straight-in for runway two seven."
UNICOM: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, roger."

The pilot's thoughts involve the idea of joining the circuit on a long final approach, which is a legal entry to a traffic circuit, based on the known traffic operating on runway 23 in a right hand circuit. Since he is north of CCQ3 now, and the traffic is west of the field approaching for a right hand approach on 23, staying outside 5 NM should give this traffic plenty of space to do their pattern and land. Then it's just a matter of ensuring no conflict at the airport itself.

Joining the Circuit

The pilot uneventfully passes the northeast side of the ATF area. All the other traffic, as predicted, stays inside this area while setting up for their own approaches, and this solves potential conflicts, as well as gets away from the idea of having to overfly the airport (which was not allowed here for the approach on 27). Now about 6-7 NM away from the airfield, still outside the ATF area, he's basically ready to line up for 27. Just before making the turn to final:

CGOOF: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, six miles east, turning final runway two seven."
UNICOM: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, Debert Unicom, traffic is a glider on final runway two three, and another in right downwind."
CGOOF: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot."

Touch and Go

CCQ3 Where runways 23 and 27 don't quite intersect (see diagram at left, runway 27 is the bottom runway, almost parallel with the bottom of the chart, and runway 23 is the one that starts in the top center and points toward the bottom left), there isn't really an issue of traffic conflict here at the runways. Since the traffic is a glider, there will be very little likely of a go-around. Gliders lack much of the power required to pull such an operation. Still, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the traffic to see what they do. If the other aircraft does overrun runway 23, he may very well stroll ahead onto the runway planned for our pilot's touch and go. Watching the traffic on the other runway, our pilot decides to descend for his touch and go after determining the risks of the converging traffic to be minimal.

CGOOF: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot two miles final for runway two seven, touch and go with a left turn out."

With that, the pilot continues the approach, watching the traffic on 23, as well as glancing at the windsock to confirm the wind speed and direction advertised by Unicom. The touch and go is executed smoothly and the pilot begins the climb out. A normal profile may be carried out here, making the left turn as usual in the circuit. Halifax International is roughly on a heading of 190° from CCQ3, but the pilot has intended to fly south to overfly highway 102, so he just keeps the crosswind heading of 180°, and makes a call to advertise the fact.

CGOOF: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot clear of the circuit, heading south to pick up highway one-oh-two toward Halifax, climbing to four thousand five hundred."


Clearing the Area

Once clear of the ATF area (5 NM, as indicated above), the pilot is required to make a call, just as was done at Amherst in a previous part of this flight.

CGOOF: "Debert Unicom, Oscar Oscar Foxtrot leaving the area to the south, switching to Halifax Terminal."
UNICOM: "Oscar Oscar Foxtrot, Debert Unicom, roger."

CYHZ VNC I've reproduced the map here which shows the area between CCQ3 (top right) and CYHZ (bottom center). It shows that the area immediately outside of Debert's ATF is Class D airspace associated with the Halifax Terminal Control Area (TCA). As such, the pilot needs to establish communication with Halifax Terminal on 118.7 (the established frequency for VFR in the Class D). The area, as mentioned in a previous topic, has not only lateral boundaries, but also vertical boundaries (a floor, in this case). This means the pilot can fly VFR in the TCA without talking to Halifax Terminal, provided he remains below the floor of the Class D, just as surely as if he were skirting the outer edge of it. In this case, the floor, as drawn in the diagram at right, is 2,900 ASL. Our pilot is nearing this altitude, so he must establish communication before reaching it. That's for next week, though.



I'm open to hearing comments and questions, positive and negative. My e-mail address is good for all correspondence, and it is moxner@nbnet.nb.ca. Thanks for taking the time to read!