VOR-DME wrote:

So my question - does this type of approach really exist, other than on
Wikipedia? Can someone point me to an approach plate that says "TLS" on the
top? What would lead a purportedly expert consultant to recommend this type
of approach for installation in a New England airport today?


I used to fly out of Hood River from about '96 to '08 so am somewhat
familar with the system.

At that time ANPC was trying to get it set up for various airports, but
ran into big problems with the FAA approving it. They had more success
getting the military to use it as it was somewhat portable. They also
were able to set up a few of the systems outside of the US, but I
couldn't tell you where.


They did have it set up as a test at The Dalles (KDLS) airport near
Hood River. I am probably one of the few civilian pilots in the US
who has flown this type of approach, albeit in VFR conditions. If
I remember correctly, the KDLS approach was fairly simple. It look
an lot like a DME arc followed by a straight in to runway 25, but with
a glide slope the whole way. That was the neat thing about the system:
it allowed for a non-straight approach while still giving a glide slope.
The downside of it (at least for the test setup at KDLS), was that only
one aircraft at a time could use it.

As for your questions, I do not know of a current TLS approach. I dug
through my digital clutter to try and find the test approach plate for
DLS and came up dry. As far as a consultant recommending such an
approach, well, he's going to get paid if it exists or not...

Curiously, I just notied that KDLS now has a LDA/DME approach on runway
25. I've never seen one of those before.

--
Frank Stutzman
Bonanza N494B "Hula Girl"
Boise, ID