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KEGE - Where Eagles (And Q400s) Dare :)


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Hi all...


 


Jarrad's latest gem is on it's final testing push... And the main man himself asked me to put together a little preview from the perspective of airline operations. So here it is! 


 


First of all, for the level of detail presented, you're probably wondering about performance. Short answer, don't ;) It runs smooth as silk on my PC, easily maintaining 45 to 50fps in the Q400, with real world weather provided by ASN, and almost maxed settings.


 


KEGE is a somewhat unique airport. It's a high altitude airport, serving a small community, yet it still gets plenty of airline traffic. Somebody has to fly those skiers in for the winter ;) . Everything from CRJs, Q400s, 757s and A319/320s are frequently flown into and out of KEGE, from a number of carriers. 


 


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Today, I'm waiting for my plane load to Denver, just over 100 miles to the East. Flight plan programmed, doors closed, ready for push back...


 


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Pushed back, we see the Vale Jet Center. One of the more famous FBOs out there...


 


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...And temporary home to more private jets than you can shake a stick at :)   


 


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After a short Taxi, we're holding short of Runway 25. Runway 25 is the preferred runway of use at Eagle County, due mainly to the high terrain and environmental factors.


 


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Lining up on the runway. Altitude and terrain mean you should try to use every last foot of available length :)


 


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Heading East to Denver, we need to follow the "Gypsum five Departure". Not particularly complex, but things happen very fast and you need to be on the ball. First turn to heading 215 comes immediately after takeoff and takes you a small way up the valley shown here:


 


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Making the turn to 215...


 


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Not long after the turn, you cross the 152 radial of the Snow VOR (SNW). It's close to the airport so the radial is right there... Don't miss it! That's your cue to start a right turn...


 


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The right turn takes you through the 322 radial of the Red Table VOR (DBL). Just keep turning, then re-intercept the 322 radial outbound to KIRLE intersection...


 


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Once your're tracking to KIRLE, it gets a little less frenetic. Though the views are no less spectacular (provided it's VFR ;) )...


 


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Reaching KIRLE, make a right turn onto the Victor 8 airway. Track this to Kremmling VOR (RLG)...


 


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Wave a final farewell to KEGE as you head east to your destination :)


 


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The approaches to Eagle County are no less interesting either. Here we have the LDA (Landing Directional Aid) approach. Eagle county does not have a traditional ILS, as the runway is aligned with some significant terrain. So an offset localizer and glideslope are used, making this an LDA approach, not an ILS. However, even with the offset approach, there's still some VERY close terrain to be careful of ;) (do NOT go below the glideslope!)...


 


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That ridge will almost certainly give you a terrain warning in a suitable equipped aircraft... Here we can also see Jarrad's new custom seasonal system, which varies snow lines as winter goes on. Has to be seen in action to be believed :)


 


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You can clearly see the offset nature of this approach now. And the reason for it ;)


 


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Need to start making a correction soon to line up with the final approach...


 


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Touching down...


 


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And taxiing back to the gates... The hotel shuttle better be waiting ;)


 


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And here are a few bonus shots showing the airport and surroundings...


 


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Rob


 


Focusing the preview on the departure and approach procedures is a brillant idea !  Your suite of pics is almost cinematic and does a lot of favors to Jarrad's amazing scenery ! Do that more often, please :) !   On both accounts (TO and arrivals) at what time did you switch on/off the autopilot ? 


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On departure, it came on after I made the initial turn to 215 degrees, on the arrival, it was on till just before the Final Approach Fix... could have followed it further, but where's the fun in that? ;)

Thanks :)  , gotta get that aircraft...

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AWESOME preview post. Nice to see these shots from the cockpit of the Q400 which is my favorite regional plane in P3D. That is quite a bit of a tight takeoff and having an issue with an engine after V2 looks like it would be a very bad day.


 


Great shots. :)


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You must Dominique...its a keeper :) :)

+1 on the Q400, plus you have Rob who flies full size to guide you.

Excellent set of pics Rob.

TTM

 

Thanks guys ! I have been a little intimidated by the complexity, I suppose, having had a close look at the documentation a few months ago :).  

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Thanks guys ! I have been a little intimidated by the complexity, I suppose, having had a close look at the documentation a few months ago :).

Still remember my old flight instructor asking me on the first day of training... "How do you eat a whale? One small piece at a time..."

Learning the Q400 is the same :)

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Still remember my old flight instructor asking me on the first day of training... "How do you eat a whale? One small piece at a time..."

Learning the Q400 is the same :)

 

 

I know :) but  I've been until now a GA and warbird simmer (except for a stint with the A2A B377). I am not so fond of automated flight à la NGX but what looks interesting in the Dash, what I understand at least, reading here and there including your contributions, is that the pilot has a role to play, she is not only a push button aircraft. I will buy her I suppose knowing that climbing the proverbial learning curve gets steeper over the years :).

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