For several weeks now I have been flying to the Dunkirk airport (KDKK, NY
State, US) for business. Most weeks, the weather was VFR for my departure.
However, the last two weeks the weather was IFR and adherence to this
airport's obstacle departure procedure was required.
The procedure is very straight-forward and reads:
"Departing rwy 24, climb runway heading to 1,200 feet (about 500 ft AGL),
then climbing right turn direct to DKK VOR (VOR is on the field) before
proceeding on course."
Here is a small JPG of the relevant sectional chart showing the airport:
http://thericcs.net/aviation/misc/DKK.jpg
My question is this: I am departing runway 24 with a desired on course
heading of 080. Thus, I depart and climb to 1,200 msl, then climbing turn
to the right to go direct to the on-field VOR before proceeding at 090 on
course.
Climbing runway heading at about 800 fpm in a Bonanza, I reach 1,200 feet
MSL in about 38 seconds. 38 seconds of traveling at a ground speed of
about 95 kts does not place me far enough away from the airport to be able
to perform a standard rate turn to the right to go direct to the VOR.
The two times I have needed to use this departure procedure I ended up too
far west of the VOR (over the water and safe from obstacles). To get
around quickly enough to be able to go to the VOR would require a much
steeper turn, something not advisable in IMC.
In both cases, despite being west of the VOR by 3/4ths of a mile or so, I
concluded that I could proceed safely on course to the northeast and did
so, rather than spiral around over the VOR in an attempt to reach the
waypoint.
How would you adhere to this departure procedure?
--
Peter
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