GRR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LONG TERM VOR LIMITATION THAT RESULTS IN LIMITED RWY OPTIONS FOR THE USER.
Synopsis
GRR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING THE LONG TERM VOR LIMITATION THAT RESULTS IN LIMITED RWY OPTIONS FOR THE USER.
Narrative
THE GRR VOR HAS BEEN UNUSABLE BEYOND 11.0 DME SINCE 10/06. GRR ARPT HAS ILS APCHS TO RWYS 26L/8R AND RWY 35. WHEN THE WIND IS STRONG FROM THE S; PLTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE VOR 17 APCH FOR A LNDG MORE ALIGNED WITH THE WIND. SINCE THE VOR IS NOT USABLE BEYOND 11 DME; THIS APCH IS NOT AVAILABLE. WITH WINTER UPON US NOW; SNOW AND ICE CAN CONTAMINATE A RWY MAKING A XWIND LNDG DIFFICULT/UNSAFE FOR PLTS. WITH A STRONG S WIND LNDG ON A RWY WITH AN ILS (RWY 26L/8R AND RWY 35) APCH DOES NOT ALLOW A PLT TO HAVE A RWY WITH AN INST APCH PROC THAT WILL ALIGN THE ACFT WITH A FAVORABLE WIND. ANOTHER OPTION IS TO CIRCLE FROM AN ILS APCH TO LAND ON RWY 17 WHEN THE CEILING/VISIBILITY PERMITS. RECENTLY DURING IFR WX (SNOW); PLTS HAVE BEEN CIRCLING WITH POOR VISIBILITY; LOW CEILINGS AND CONTAMINATES (SNOW/ICE) ON THE RWY. WHEN THE VISIBILITY AND/OR THE CEILING IS TOO LOW; THE PLTS USE A STRAIGHT-IN ILS APCH TO A RWY WITH A STRONG XWIND COMPONENT. A SOLUTION TO THIS PROB WOULD BE TO FIX THE VOR AND FLT CHK THE NAVAID AND THE APCH PROC. APPARENTLY; THE ROOF ON THE VOR LEAKS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.