Re: Misleading Notam

Just to avoid potential confusion, the NOTAM has been reworded to include
"Vertical Descent Angle" in front of 3.52 degrees. The previous way had been
used for at least 4 years when adding VDA's to non-precision procedures via
NOTAMS, but will probably change now since the old appears to lead to
confusion.  Incidentally, the reason this NOTAM was originally created is
that the airport painted new runway numbers (17/35) on the runways due to
magnetic variation updates, and Memphis Approach didn't hear about it until
after the fact.

FDC 3/1417
 FI/T GENERAL DEWITT SPAIN, MEMPHIS TN. VOR RWY 16, ORIG... CHANGE ALL
REFERENCES TO RWY 16/34 TO RWY 17/35. ADD: FROM SHLBY TO RW17: VERTICAL
DESCENT ANGLE 3.52 DEGREES, TCH 31. ADD NOTE: VGSI AND DESCENT ANGLES NOT
COINCIDENT.
-- 

JPH


"Michael" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Greg Esres <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
> > One of our local pilots misunderstood a common Notam, as shown below.
> > He thought the "ADD: From Shelby to RW 17: 3.52 degrees" meant add
> > 3.52 degrees to the final approach course.
> >
> > How reasonable do you think his interpretation?
>
> For someone coversant with TERPS - not very.  For someone who meets
> the knowledge requirements for the instrument rating but not much more
> - pretty reasonable.  Note the context - the runway numbers are
> changed (increased).  I can easily see how someone might think that
> this means the final approach course should also be adjusted, and the
> direction and magnitude of the adjustment are consistent with the
> runway change.
>
> > (BTW, the notam just adds a descent gradient to a NP approach.)
> >
> > FDC 3/0143 M01 FI/T GENERAL DEWITT SPAIN, MEMPHIS, TN. VOR RWY
> > 16, ORIG...CHANGE ALL REFERENCES TO RWY 16/34 TO RWY 17/35.
> > ADD: FROM SHLBY TO RW 17: 3.52 DEGREES, TCH 31. ADD NOTE: VGSI
> > AND DESCENT ANGLES NOT COINCIDENT.
>
> Not exactly plain English, is it?
>
> Michael