Nailing the Approach to My Home Airport (KSMO)...finally!

Since earning my IFR rating this past June and buying my dream SR22T G6 airplane I've flown as many IFR approaches as I can to get proficient and be safe. And its true that the more you practice the better you get. But one of the toughest approaches for me to fly has been the RNAV 21 GPS approach to KSMO (Santa Monica), my home airport. If you've ever flown through the ridiculously busy airspace of the Los Angeles area you know how hectic it can be. The controllers are monitoring hundreds of planes from small GA aircraft to huge airliners and things are happening very fast. And in the case of the RNAV 21 approach, it requires you to fly through the San Fernando Valley at 5,000 and then make a very quick steep turn and descent to hit the FAF and engage the glidepath. Well I've found a million ways to keep missing that glidepath. And each time I've gone back and studied the video trying to sort out the proper sequence of events, pitch and power settings to get it right. And finally today I got it right. And it reminded me why I love flying so much. It requires your full attention, your ability to think ahead, to acknowledge and learn from mistakes, and to visualize complicated procedures in real time. But when you get it right it feels freakin great!! And the world below you is a safer place too. Enjoy and please feel free to leave your comments below.

[jackfisher]

What type of iPad mount are you using?

[DonAvs]

Hi Ren, my 2018 SR22 G6 has the same paint scheme. Nice choices! I was able to order it with the Platinum exterior and Carbon interior... I am unsure if you changed the way you use the MFD for approaches, but I have found a couple of ways to make SA on approaches a little better for me. You might want to give it a try since you have a few options with Perspective+. I normally fly approaches with the FPL screen up on the MDF, which presents the fixes in sequence and published altitudes for each (it also depicts the missed approach segment). You can split the screen to show the approach information on the right and a map depiction of the approach on the left (you can also configure the FPL screen to split vertically as well). You can replace the map portion with the actually approach plate with geo referencing if you like that and toggle between the map and the plate if you want. Its hard to brief the approach from half the MDF screen but you can use the range knob to zoom. Hope it helps! Its nice to see how much you enjoy the plane. My current plane is my second SR22. Safe flying!

[rvdave]

Enjoying the videos, just getting my inst rating in my rv10, keep ‘em coming.

[cirruscapo]

Nice vlog, might I just suggest that as you go through your flight, you might want to describe what your doing as your doing it, and maybe why your doing it. Other than that, I enjoyed your flight from Oxnard to Santa Monica... Thnx...

[zacharynorman]

This was awesome. Well done! Almost hazy enough to be actual IMC.

[liorweisspi]

I see your plane taking off when My daughter play soccer at Marine park at the end of the runway.. when are you inviting me for a ride? :)

[mndeep]

I love your videos, and your aircraft. Is it just me or is all other audio a bit louder than your communications?

[JeffBronstein]

You know you can actually use the audio from one source while watching the video from the other. Split the clip.