Flying from KDTW to KPTK would like advice

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Still Learning
Senior Airman
Posts: 201
Joined: 01 Aug 2015, 13:12

Flying from KDTW to KPTK would like advice

Post by Still Learning »

I'm flying a little one engine out of DTW, to Oakland County Intl, which is the nearest airport to Pontiac Michigan.

I went to Flightaware, to see if they would have a route; they did, it was one VOR. i.e. KDTW - SVM - KPTK.

With that being the case, does that mean there was a Dep. Proc. out of KDTW? and would a little single engine be able to comply with a) the SID or the STAR into KPTK, an untowered airport?

Thanks in advance,
Still Learning
As of 8/14/17 | NZXT S340 Elite | AORUS Gaming 7 Z270 | i7 7770K @4.8 GhZ | EVGA Geforce GTX 1080 Ti SC2 11 GB | 16GB DDR 4 RAM @ 2666 MhZ | Samsung EVO 850 SSD 1TB

TreeTops
Master Sergeant
Posts: 1086
Joined: 07 Apr 2010, 06:13

Re: Flying from KDTW to KPTK would like advice

Post by TreeTops »

Disclaimer : I am not a pilot.

Have you used skyvector and airnav? Both freeware.
www.skyvector.com (right click on an airport for the pop up menu, then hover over the airport name link shows a chart pop up menu)
www.airnav.com is also useful.

Firstly, Detroit is a major airport and unlikely that a small single would be using it. :) Perhaps Willow Run to the west or some other nearby airport would be more appropriate.

Anyway, so using KDTK and adding a quick flight plan KDTK SVM KPTK in skyvector, we now have various charts available to clarify the situation.
Selecting the Detroit TAC chart, we can see that this is controlled airspace, class B.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspace_ ... ed_States)

Regardless of flying VFR or IFR, you would need clearance out of the immediate area and because of the type of plane (I am guessing sub 180knts) I would suppose you would get vectored direct Salem and kept below 3000 instead of flying lots of track miles taking up airspace that the jets need.
From Salem its only a 17nm leg. If you took the KPTK RNAV 9R the track miles would increase to 28nm, an increase of 11nm.
Better to fly VFR direct.

So in summary, on such a short flight in a small plane, you wouldn't use SIDs and STARs.

Others with actual knowledge may expound different ideas and probably correct me. :)
I enjoy looking at scenarios like this one.
Cheers
Trev

Still Learning
Senior Airman
Posts: 201
Joined: 01 Aug 2015, 13:12

Re: Flying from KDTW to KPTK would like advice

Post by Still Learning »

Thanks TreeTop.

I was wondering about how likely it would be a single engine a/c would be taking off out of KDTW. The reason I would use a single engine prop is it's such a short flight. I saw (on one of the sites,) someone flew the route in 9 minutes. He was flying an Embraer Phenom 300 out of DTW, no route listed. And SkyVector didn't have any routes between the two city pairs. Not surprising though.

Still Learning
As of 8/14/17 | NZXT S340 Elite | AORUS Gaming 7 Z270 | i7 7770K @4.8 GhZ | EVGA Geforce GTX 1080 Ti SC2 11 GB | 16GB DDR 4 RAM @ 2666 MhZ | Samsung EVO 850 SSD 1TB

TreeTops
Master Sergeant
Posts: 1086
Joined: 07 Apr 2010, 06:13

Re: Flying from KDTW to KPTK would like advice

Post by TreeTops »

The Phenom 300 being a jet would fit in with this airport. A single engine slower plane would be an unlikely visitor.
Its like trying to ride a bike down a busy freeway holding up all the traffic.
This is why there are regional airports surrounding the major airports. Regionals get all the smaller commercial and private traffic.
Cheers
Trev

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