Instrument Rating Training in the 21st century

For a while now we’ve been working on renewing our instrument rating course. One of the major components came together recently by passing the flight check for our LPV approach to the Steinbach South Airport!

What is a LPV appoach? LPV: Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance. This is a precision instrument approach using GPS. A precision approach is where there is lateral as well as vertical guidance to the runway.

Why should I care? You’ll care if you plan to be earning a Instrument Rating soon. In March 2011 Transport Canada Instrument Flight Test guide was revised allowing a LPV approach to be used instead of a ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach for precision approach training. This is a fantastic breakthrough for flight training at Harv’s Air. In the past, to conduct instrument training one had to fly at a airport that had a ILS. This is troublesome because only the large airports in Canada have a ILS. Large airports in Canada are all plagued with the same problem. They are busy and Air Traffic Control is staffed by NavCanada. This causes delays (a huge issue when a student is paying $350/hour+), and frustrating because NavCanada has staffing issues and limitations that majorly restrict or prohibit training. Hassles like faxing, calling, last second cancellations and getting slots are the norm. So the bottom line is you should care because it’s going to save you time and money. Easily $1700+

Having a LPV approach in Steinbach allows us to conduct more then half of the instrument rating course and all of the flight test in the Steinbach area instead of going to Winnipeg. We will be able to conduct at least double the number of approaches in a lesson. We will not be restricted by NavCanada delays and hassles in Winnipeg.

We will still ensure that half of your training is in controlled airspace. Also we will go to the States to conduct several different approaches in different types of airspace. We want to be sure you are prepared for all types of approaches both old and new. This is what is demanded by operators and airlines.

For now our LPV approach is approved only for visual weather. This is because we are waiting for NavCanada to approve the approach and include it in the CAP (Canada Air Pilot: Books of approach plates). In the meanwhile we can use the approach in visual weather and conduct training for the Instrument Rating and flight test right now!