Chart Wise: Gillespie County Airport (T82) VOT/DME-A

Unlike many approaches, this one has no requirement to use a GPS-based navigation system to become established onto the approach, fly it, or execute the missed approach, assuming the pilot has DME equipment in the aircraft that is not derived from an IFR approved GPS-only system. 

When flying this as a “full approach” if a pilot was not receiving vectors onto the final approach path, they would start at the Stonewall, Texas (STV) VOR. This would require the pilot to fly to the VOR, fly a course reversal using the published hold, and then turn inbound on a 274-degree inbound course.

The pilot will cross the VOR at 4,100 feet and then descend to 3,500 as a stepdown on the way to the final approach fix. Only after passing the FAF at IBAVE at 6 DME from the VOR can the pilot descend to the applicable MDA.

Note the missed approach point is not at the VOR. A pilot should transition inbound on the approach using the VOR, where a descent could begin from 4,100 feet down to the FAF, IBAVE, at 6 DME from the VOR. The missed approach point is at 10.5 DME from the VOR (also designated as MAHUW) and is DME-based. Unlike some VOR approaches, time to the missed approach point is not given, so it must be based on received DME (or an IFR-approved GPS system) indications.

Pilots should be aware that an “Alpha” approach, by definition, is not aligned with a specific runway. The approach angle of 274 degrees to the airport is slightly over 50 degrees off alignment with Runway 32 and over 130 degrees off of alignment from Runway 14. Instead, the pilot will need to circle to land from this approach. The lowest minimum available for circling, depending on the approach speed of the aircraft, is 2,440 feet msl (745 feet agl).

The missed approach is pretty straightforward. The pilot should initiate a climbing left turn to 4,100 msl and head back to the VOR if they aren’t able to land after flying the approach. Entering the hold, the pilot would expect to fly a standard one-minute holding pattern at the VOR until they go to an alternate or try the approach again.

This column first appeared in the November Issue 952 of the FLYING print edition.