NDB RWY 8R Approach Practice at KSUS

On 5/19/08 I flew from 3SQ to KSUS to practice the NDB RWY 8R approach. Before I list the steps I took to complete it, I'd like to list various notes regarding NDBs.

1. Homing: Tracking to an NDB by keeping the ADF needle centered at the top of the display will take you directly to the NDB. Getting to the NDB in this case is not by tracking any specific course.

2. To intercept and track magnetic bearings directly to and from an NDB (as in the KSUS NDB RWY 8R approach) :

a. turn to inbound course heading 256
b. ADF needle is pointing to the nose of the display while heading 256

3. To know your tracking directly along the 256 degree radial:

a. when heading 256, ADF needle is pointing to right, then you're parallel and right of course
b. when heading 256, ADF needle is pointing to left, then you're parallel and left of course

4. Making corrections to get back on course you must double your corrections with wind/no wind situations:

Example for TO the NDB
a. If head of ADF needle is 20 degrees left, turn 40 degrees left.
b. When needle head is to the right 40 degrees from where it was off, you're back on course.
c. Turn back to course heading, 256

Example for FROM the NDB
a. If tail of ADF needle is 20 degrees left, turn 40 degrees right.
b. When needle tail is to the right 40 degrees from where it was off, you're back on course.
c. Turn back to course heading, 256

OR to simplify things for the FROM...Look at the head of the needle (points at tail once flown over the NDB)and make corrections the same as TO.

5. Interpolate winds on ground and at 3000 ft for approaches. Adjust approach time accordingly. For this approach I added ~12 seconds for the winds increasing my time from FAF to MAP from 3:28 to 3:40.

Flying the NDB RWY 8R approach at KSUS
Preflight Complete
Up to Takeoff
-Set Altimeter to reported Alt or airport elevation
-Set DG before and after starting the engine
-Master switch and avionics on
Comm 1 123.0 CTAF 3SQ
Comm 1 126.5 STL approach in standby position
Comm 2 134.8 ATIS
Comm 2 124.75 Spirit Tower in standby position
ADF to 326
DME to 117.4 if have one in plane
-Avionics/Master Switch off - Start engine

Me: St. Charles Muni Traffic, N# ramp to 09
-Complete Run-up at holding position for 09
-TILT completed: Time, Instruments Set, Lights on for takeoff, Transponder to ALT

Me: St. Charles Muni Traffic, N# departing 09 Southwest
-Back taxi 09, turn to position and takeoff.

Flight
-At 800 turn L crosswind, then L downwind, depart pattern heading 240 and climb to 1500 ft to remain under Class B.
-Listen to ATIS by pressing Comm 2 receiving button
-toggle Comm 1 and Comm 2 frequencies to 126.5 STL approach and 124.75 Tower

Me: St. Louis Approach N#

ATC: N# go ahead

Me: N#, at 1500 for 2400 5 miles NE, request practice approach NDB RWY 8R at Spirit w/info Alpha

ATC: N# squawk 0234 & ident

Me: N# 0234 (tune in 0234 & press the ident button)
-At that point I climbed to 2400, making heading changes as received from St. Louis Approach.
-ID'd NDB by pushing ADF button and turning up volume keeping loud enough to hear it throughout the approach making sure it continued to work.

ATC: Cleared for KSUS NDB 8R approach, contact tower on 124.75

Me: Cleared for KSUS NDB 8R, tower 124.75
-Once on ~30 degree intercept, dial ADF to current heading. When ADF needle points to inbound course 076 at nose, turn to that heading and redial ADF to 076.
-Watched head of needle. When 10 degrees to left, doubled it and turned 20 degrees left. When head of needle moved 20 degrees right from where it was, turned back to inbound course 076.

Me: Spirit Tower, N# outside SNOOP

Tower: N#, Report SNOOP

Me: N#, Report SNOOP
-Continued to make adjustments in heading as needed, keeping on course
-Observed ADF needle flipped to point behind me

Me: N#, at SNOOP
-Turn, Tune, Time, Throttle, Talk & GMC (Gas on, Mixture rich, Carb heat on) : There weren't any turns or tuning at this time, I started my time, pulled the throttle to 1500 RPMs/90 Kts for approach speed, decending at 500 fpm to 1200 ft MDA.

Tower: On missed, turn left heading 080

Me: On missed, Left for 080, N#
-At 1200 ft, leveled off, waited out the time to adjusted time of 3:40
-Missed by full throttle/carb heat off, runway heading 080 to 1500

Me: Spirit Tower, N# missed

At this point, I was vectored for the same approach for the second time, cleared for the option which allowed me to complete a "touch and go" and then headed back to 3SQ. I logged 1.1 flight hours during this flight.