Ronnie wrote:
One of the guys I taught as an instrument student handed me
the Sept 25, 2006 issue of Aviation Week and told me to check
out the instrument approach to Linzhi, China on page 54. This
has to be one of the most unusual approaches ever. The entire
flight path looks like it was drawn with a twisted French Curve,
including the missed approach track. It basically follows a river
canyon through the Himalayan mountains. The airport elevation
is 9670', the IAP altitude is 25,200' and the missed approach hold
point altitude is 19,700' feet. There is an additional engine-out missed a
pproach hold point to cover the event that you are unable to climb to
19,700' for the MAHP hold. This point ends with a hold at a point
145 nm from the airport.

A dual-redundant avionics suite is required, including 2 flight management
systems, 2 GPS receivers, 2 flight director displays, etc, etc, etc.

Not your average instrument approach.

Those are showing up around here. They're called RNAV (RNP) IAPs with
Special Aircrew and Aircraft Authorization Required (SAAAR).

There are perhaps a dozen of them published by the FAA, with 25-50 per
year on the schedule to be added.

Check PSP Runway 13R.