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*UPDATE* Not to miss a Real World video of the Visual App RNW8 by Jose A. Vega.  

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Airport (MDPP) is the most challanging approach I have ever flight (Flight Simulator). I have been practicing for a long time this approach and I think Im getting closer to mastering.

Puerto Plata Airport (MDPP) has a single runway: 8 and 26. The Airport is sorrounded by high elevations to the west at aprox 4.5 miles. There is only one approach published for this Airport in SimCharts: VOR DME RNW 26. However most of the times this approach is not safe due to wind direction. Typically wind is coming from the East, making RNW 26 a risky choice. Due to this, most of the times I fly MDPP ATC gives a "VOR DME RNW 26 Circle to Land RNW 8".  First time ATC gave that approach I was very confused. Honestly I didnt know what that "Circle to Land" meant.  I ended up doing it in the easy and boring way: asking ATC for vectors showing my ignorance. :-(

After this experience I did some research on the subject and what basically that intruction means is to execute the approach VOR DME RNW26, and once the aiport is in sight, do a Visual Approach in the opposite direction (RNW8). Ok, now I know what to do. Sounds easy ah? But there is challange. remember there are high elevations 4.5 miles West of the airport. Even the VOR DME RNW 26 Circle to Land RNW 8 chart prohibits the fly beyond 4 miles. That means I need to execute left base turn at less than 4 miles from the airport. For a novice like me, very chllanging to perform on a 737-800. 

I decided to study the 737-800 dynamics. It took me several trials to learn that at 170knots, 15deg flaps (typical approach configuration) and max bank rate, the 737 will produce a separation distance of aprox. 2 miles between Downwind Leg and Final. Also some calculations revealed that @3.5miles, the 737 should be aprox 1000ft to be able to descent at a rate of 2.8deg. After several trials, Im beginning to have good landings at MDPP.

I perform the VOR DME RNW26 approach as published until DME reads 3nm. At that point, I make a right turn to a heading 45 degrees with respect to runway. Flying at a heading of 305, I monitor DME until it is at 1.5nm. At that point I turn left 260 to join the RNW8 left downwind while descending slowly to 1000ft. After turning, the distance to the airport will be cl;ose to 2nm. The following step is the most critical. Once the DME shows 3nm flying the RNW8 Left Downwind, a 180 degrees turn is executed. This is the most critical step becasue if you do the turn too late, you will hit the mountain. If you do the turn too early you will be too high or you will have a very short distance to line-up with runway. 

As mentioned above, if you flew paralel to the runway at two miles, at the end of the 180 degrees turn you will finish at aprox 3.5 miles from the airport with a close line-up with runway. At that point I extend fully the flaps, gears down (if not done earlier) and start descending at 800 ft/min. This method is working fine for my latest trials.   

September 17th, 2008 Update

Although the text above explains my technique for the VOR DME RBW26 Circle RNW8 approach using a 737-800, the following video shows the same approach but using an ATR-72-500. Enjoy!

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December 15th, 2008 Update

Jose A. Vega shared the following Real World video of him doing the Visual Part of the VOR DME RNW26 Circle to Land RNW8. The aircraft is a twin engine Azteca. Thanks for sharing Jose! Enjoy! 

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