What to expect flying into midway?

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dennyleeb

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I am coming to Chicago over weekend to hang out and go to a game. Gonna be flying into MDW IFR. Any tips? Was thinking Odessey Aviation.
 
dennyleeb said:
I am coming to Chicago over weekend to hang out and go to a game. Gonna be flying into MDW IFR. Any tips? Was thinking Odessey Aviation.
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Last time I flew in there it was pretty straight forward. Landed 31L and parked at Odyssey and got a free crew car for the evening (brand new Land Rover).
 
I flew into Midway Sunday and left this Monday in a DA40. I parked at Odyssey/Landmark. It was pretty straight forward. Fuel is pricey so don't show up on empty but be prepared to buy at least 15 gallons to get fees waived. Odyssey offered to give me a ride to the train station and the line guys were very friendly. I was lucky in that Midway was landing 4R. I made the first turnoff which pretty much put me right on Odyssey's ramp. Getting out was also easy but I left early in the morning and again departed on 4. A few pointers:

1) Don't be afraid to ask for a progressive taxi if you are not 100% sure of where you are and where you are going once you land.
2) Look on fltplan.com or equivalent to see what IFR routes are assigned and file the arrival that is being used. I did this last time and it all went very smoothly. The time before I just filed a more direct route and got a last minute route change that included a hold on a published arrival. Since I was not on the arrival, there was a few minutes of unnecessary distraction while I tried to figure out what the hold was and where I was in relation to it. Had I just filed the arrival, it would have been much easier.
3) As long as it's VMC and you are proficient in the maneuver in type, life will be easier if you can fly a fast approach but be at the right speed by the threshold since you will be sequenced with 737s. Keep in mind it's your tax dollars too so don't be shy about flying at the safest speed for you - but all else being equal, faster most likely will be better until short final.
4) Getting out was straight forward. If you are in a place where you can, do your run up before calling ground requesting a taxi. This will make things even easier.

Overall, no different than any other class C airport and very GA friendly.
 
Wingsofglass said:
I flew into Midway Sunday and left this Monday in a DA40. I parked at Odyssey/Landmark. It was pretty straight forward. Fuel is pricey so don't show up on empty but be prepared to buy at least 15 gallons to get fees waived. Odyssey offered to give me a ride to the train station and the line guys were very friendly. I was lucky in that Midway was landing 4R. I made the first turnoff which pretty much put me right on Odyssey's ramp. Getting out was also easy but I left early in the morning and again departed on 4. A few pointers:

1) Don't be afraid to ask for a progressive taxi if you are not 100% sure of where you are and where you are going once you land.
2) Look on fltplan.com or equivalent to see what IFR routes are assigned and file the arrival that is being used. I did this last time and it all went very smoothly. The time before I just filed a more direct route and got a last minute route change that included a hold on a published arrival. Since I was not on the arrival, there was a few minutes of unnecessary distraction while I tried to figure out what the hold was and where I was in relation to it. Had I just filed the arrival, it would have been much easier.
3) As long as it's VMC and you are proficient in the maneuver in type, life will be easier if you can fly a fast approach but be at the right speed by the threshold since you will be sequenced with 737s. Keep in mind it's your tax dollars too so don't be shy about flying at the safest speed for you - but all else being equal, faster most likely will be better until short final.
4) Getting out was straight forward. If you are in a place where you can, do your run up before calling ground requesting a taxi. This will make things even easier.

Overall, no different than any other class C airport and very GA friendly.
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regarding number 2
how do I tell which arrival to use
I have never flown a published arrival but I am sure I can figure it out w the g1000, throwing in a random hold would be a little weird for me, although I do practice them on missed approaches I have never been ask to do one

kind of makes me think KPWK may be better for me
 
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As long as the weather is VMC, I would just skip all of that possible IFR drama up there and go in VFR. It was my first time there and I had assumed that that might not be appreciated until another pilot friend said it wasn't a huge deal. The controllers are very GA friendly and accomodating.

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That's what I did on a dog rescue flight last year and it worked out just fine. Getting out was even better because I was definitely more relaxed. Enjoy the experience... you'll always remember it! :yes:
 
Been to MDW a couple of times - once IFR and once VFR. No problems either trip. IFR, they had us on ILS for one of the runways then side-stepped us to the parallel on short final so a 737 could come in on the ILS. There are some 'VFR Routes' in the area, so if you go VFR, you might want to review them so you can find landmarks.

When you land, don't dilly-dally on the runway. If you need progressive taxi, just ask - it's not a big deal.

You can get the FBO to shuttle you to the terminal to get to the 'L' station.

As much of a 'pain' we bugsmashers seem to be to Chi Approach, MDW is very accomodating of us lowly peons.
 
dennyleeb said:
regarding number 2
how do I tell which arrival to use
I have never flown a published arrival but I am sure I can figure it out w the g1000, throwing in a random hold would be a little weird for me, although I do practice them on missed approaches I have never been ask to do one

kind of makes me think KPWK may be better for me
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I don't mean to make this sound hard. Midway is easy to fly into and is very GA friendly with plenty of small planes. VFR would also work well. I find flying into big airports easier on an IFR plan but really in controlled airspace like that there is not much of a difference.

If you go to fltplan.com and put in a flight plan from either your departure airport or a bigger one near by, it will give you the last five routes assigned by ATC. If all five include the same arrival, I would file it. If they all have similar routing, I would at least file the last fix since that's probably where you are going to end up. If they are all different, I wouldn't worry about it. This is just what I have found makes the flight easier for me. There is no need to file an arrival.

On the G1000, select procedure then arrival, pick the one you want, pick the entry point and when that is your next waypoint, scroll to it where the procedure is loaded and hit direct to the first waypoint. Very easy.

I came from the east and filed for the Goshen5 arrival from Goshen. The G1000 listed entry points farther out than Goshen so I just picked one and when Goshen was my next waypoint, hit direct to and skipped the initial entry. The entire process took about six seconds, I had no ATC en route changes to my flight plan and got two vectors to intercept the localizer.
 
Wingsofglass said:
I don't mean to make this sound hard. Midway is easy to fly into and is very GA friendly with plenty of small planes. VFR would also work well. I find flying into big airports easier on an IFR plan but really in controlled airspace like that there is not much of a difference.

If you go to fltplan.com and put in a flight plan from either your departure airport or a bigger one near by, it will give you the last five routes assigned by ATC. If all five include the same arrival, I would file it. If they all have similar routing, I would at least file the last fix since that's probably where you are going to end up. If they are all different, I wouldn't worry about it. This is just what I have found makes the flight easier for me. There is no need to file an arrival.

On the G1000, select procedure then arrival, pick the one you want, pick the entry point and when that is your next waypoint, scroll to it where the procedure is loaded and hit direct to the first waypoint. Very easy.

I came from the east and filed for the Goshen5 arrival from Goshen. The G1000 listed entry points farther out than Goshen so I just picked one and when Goshen was my next waypoint, hit direct to and skipped the initial entry. The entire process took about six seconds, I had no ATC en route changes to my flight plan and got two vectors to intercept the localizer.
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Yeah it is one of those things I have used very little and don't want to mess up in a busy area like that.
 
flygirl34q said:
As long as the weather is VMC, I would just skip all of that possible IFR drama up there and go in VFR. It was my first time there and I had assumed that that might not be appreciated until another pilot friend said it wasn't a huge deal. The controllers are very GA friendly and accomodating.

That's what I did on a dog rescue flight last year and it worked out just fine. Getting out was even better because I was definitely more relaxed. Enjoy the experience... you'll always remember it! :yes:
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I would agree with that. I've never flown in to Midway before but I've flown to other Class C airports plenty of times, like KFAT and KSMF. I don't go IFR unless I have to - the penalty is a grand tour routing.




"You ain't know how valuble mah time eeis!"
 
Sac Arrow said:
I would agree with that. I've never flown in to Midway before but I've flown to other Class C airports plenty of times, like KFAT and KSMF. I don't go IFR unless I have to - the penalty is a grand tour routing.



I fly into class C all the time. I always fly IFR, I have not flown VFR since getting my IR. Having said that I have never flown a STAR I always request NO STAR and NO DP. But if given some random hold which I hardly ever practice more than to keep current since I HAVE NEVER been assigned a hold before I just don't wanna screw it up. I don't wanna be sitting there pushing buttons in Chicago airspace trying to figure out under pressure how to get it loaded into the g1000.

Could I just request NO STAR and if they give me a hold request vectors?
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1. Keep your speed up.
2. Fly approach as fast as you can.
3. Go a bit faster.

I've only been there twice, but both times I had Southwest jets up my backside.
 
dennyleeb said:
Sac Arrow said:
I would agree with that. I've never flown in to Midway before but I've flown to other Class C airports plenty of times, like KFAT and KSMF. I don't go IFR unless I have to - the penalty is a grand tour routing.



I fly into class C all the time. I always fly IFR, I have not flown VFR since getting my IR. Having said that I have never flown a STAR I always request NO STAR and NO DP. But if given some random hold which I hardly ever practice more than to keep current since I HAVE NEVER been assigned a hold before I just don't wanna screw it up. I don't wanna be sitting there pushing buttons in Chicago airspace trying to figure out under pressure how to get it loaded into the g1000.

Could I just request NO STAR and if they give me a hold request vectors?
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I suppose you could, but if you aren't on an airway, you're already being vectored and they are just too busy for you at the moment.

Can't comment about the G1000 but if I get a hold or some other airway routing, I don't even try to plug it in to the 430, I'll just fly it on the VOR's and leave the map there for situational awareness.
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crash7 said:
1. Keep your speed up.
2. Fly approach as fast as you can.
3. Go a bit faster.

I've only been there twice, but both times I had Southwest jets up my backside.
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Not gonna hurt my turbo by keeping up the MP then dropping it in, I fly my speeds. I am just gonna file direct and see where it goes if I have to hold In will just do it.
 
What a great weekend. Was really fun flying into midway. Great controllers. Can't wait to do it again.
Thanks for the help
Denny
 
So how did you file? What route did you get? Any surprises?
 
filed direct, they gave me a few vectors for ils, a few vectors on way out that is it
 
Am I the only doofus that read the thread title and thought, "How the hell is Denny going to fly halfway across the Pacific?"
 
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