Story ID: 
California Rnav Procedures Contain Errors
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Design problems in Rnav procedures affect Norm Mineta and Sacramento International.
Word Count: 178
The FAA said it is aggressively working to correct a number of design problems in some Rnav procedures released last week for San Jose Norman Y. Mineta International airport (SJC) and Sacramento International Airport (SMF). Two standard terminal arrival routes (Stars) into SJC (SILCN and RAZZR) Runway 12L/R contain descent angles that are too steep for most aircraft to fly—losing 1,600 feet in 4.2 miles. ATC will instead issue standard descend-and-maintain clearance until the problem is corrected. The Rnav/RNP approaches to Runway 12L/R will be unusable because of mismatched altitudes and speeds.

Issues also exist with Stars published for SMF’s Runway 16L/R, both the transitions and the ILS approaches. ATC should be issuing an altitude to cross TENCO for aircraft given the ILS approach. Pilots are urged to be sure they don’t lose the procedure’s altitude restrictions when linking these Stars to the ILS 16L/R approaches at TENCO. Altitudes and speeds on the approaches to 34L/R do not match the Stars, the agency said.