Morgan3820
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Has anyone ever done a visual climb over airport departure (IFR)? I am planning for a trip from Asheville, NC (KAVL) and I noticed it on the DP. I find it kind of odd, a visual ascent for an IFR departure.
VCOA
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MauleSkinner
Touchdown! Greaser!
If you can't make the climb gradient, a VCOA gets you to an altitude over the airport where the required climb gradient is substantially reduced.
Technically, IIRC, you don't have to inform ATC that you plan to do a VCOA, but you can really screw up flow if you don't tell them.
Technically, IIRC, you don't have to inform ATC that you plan to do a VCOA, but you can really screw up flow if you don't tell them.
aterpster
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aterpster
If there are any remaining that do not require to notify ATC of your intent to do a VCOA, they will soon be gone.
aterpster
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aterpster
It's for marginally performing airplanes that cannot make good a steeper than 200'/mile climb gradient.
It's covered in the AIM. Download the PDF copy and do a search for VCOA.
Gucci Pilot
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VCOAs are published because of an obstacle greater than 3 miles away that requires greater than 200ft/nm to clear(usually mountains). Nothing more than a spiral in VFR conditions to the published altitude. Make sure you have the weather for it. Definitely let ATC know you are gonna do one.
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Bob Gardner
It may seem odd, but if you are departing from an airport in a bowl it will save your skin.
Bob Gardner
I was a pax on a departure from Palm Springs a couple of years ago, going to LAX (or maybe Long Beach?) to connect, and it sure semed like we were doing a VCOA, or a variation on the theme, before turning west. . .
BigBadLou
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Lou
Wow, I thought I knew all IFR procedures. Boy, was I wrong.
None of the smart books mentioned it.
Time to hit the AIM and read it cover to cover. (or at least skim through it)
Thanks for the heads up.
None of the smart books mentioned it.
Time to hit the AIM and read it cover to cover. (or at least skim through it)
Thanks for the heads up.
aterpster
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aterpster
Departure criteria also provide for a route VCOA, which will probably be the design at KPRC, where it is relatively flat in one direction.
John Collins
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You need to inform ATC that your are doing a VCOA prior to departure. It is on most VCOA procedures. This was a change about a year ago.
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Bob Gardner
aterpster
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VOCAs were going away until that change was made.
BigBadLou
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Morgan3820
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I see the value of terrain clearance for my underpowered bug smasher, certainly but what I find odd is that this is not a procedure that can be done in IMC. something like a spiraling up holding pattern. Limiting it to VMC seems to me to be less than useful. If I have the good weather to climb visually to my filed altitude, what is the point of filing IFR?
Am I missing something?
P.S. I looked at my unsigned copy of 'The Complete Advanced Pilot' page 7-7 and I am sorry to say but I could not find anything about VCOA's
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Velocity173
It's useful because it gets aircraft that can't make the climb gradient, overhead the airport without hitting obstacles.
You're not necessarily going to meet your filed altitude in that area while climbing VMC. The weather min to use VCOA is 3600-3. With a 7900 MSA around the field, you're going to climbing IMC on the way up to your filed route with that min departure weather.
It could be CAVU at AVL but your destination requires an IAP. In that case, file IFR. Doesn't matter if there's a cloud in the sky, some people want to file IFR for training. Some like the positive control of being under ATC on an IFR flight plan. Many reasons to file other than just poor weather.
MauleSkinner
Touchdown! Greaser!
Maybe there's not enough airspace/terrain for a holding pattern.
Edit...in fact, I'd bet that more often than not, the same climb gradient that you're trying to avoid would be required to build a holding pattern climb over the airport.
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John Collins
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At uncontrolled airports in the mountains, they may be the only DP available.
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Velocity173
Yep. Got one down the road from me in DZJ. Doesn't even allow for a higher climb gradient. VCOA is the only DP.
aterpster
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Sort of related: KGCN ILS Runway 3's missed approach has you climbing in a holding pattern from as low as 500 feet above ground level.
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Bob Gardner
Depends on the edition: The fifth edition is current. I have to admit that I did not (until the sixth edition, which resides on my hard disk), use the letters VCOA; I simply referred to a visual climb over the airport. My bad.
...and thanks for your support.
Bob
AustinPilot
Pre-takeoff checklist
They have one of these going out of Truckee-Tahoe, KTRK. Definitely would need it... it really is in a bowl of mountains. The regular ODP climb gradient is quite steep at 415-500' per nm.
I think normally in VMC one would simply depart VFR and pick up in the air (as I did), but they want to provide some option for people to depart IFR and since not everyone can make that climb gradient it gives people some options.
I think normally in VMC one would simply depart VFR and pick up in the air (as I did), but they want to provide some option for people to depart IFR and since not everyone can make that climb gradient it gives people some options.