I am adding this section so I can put in some missed approach stories that might help others. I very much like that short flight from Quito to Cuenca and back. Both airports are at high altitude so gives me a take off and landing with some challenges and terrain to avoid.
Tonight I decided to get the STAR for Cuenca correct this time. The PIRCA arrival is what I use when flying from the north. So followed the chart with great decent and distance on my flying. I was excited this time to get the approach correct. However I had looked at the Descent 2 chart and thought in my mind that the start of the ILS was at the CUV VOR but did not look close enough to see my mistake. If I arrive at the VOR hoping to land I would need to be about 10,000 ft and not 15,000 as shown in the PIRCA arrival.
Anyhow I looked in my chart file and found out the correct approach from the PIRCA STAR would be Descent 5 using the DME arc to position correct for the ILS.
I just wanted to point out my error as likely others have all been in a hurry and picked the wrong chart or used the charts as if they were to scale. For me I am going to take care and make sure I get this correct on the next flight. It was raining tonight and so needed instruments for this flight.
I like Cuenca because every time I arrive or leave at that airport it teaches me a lesson to be a better pilot. Perhaps some day I will visit in person that city…it seems rather beautiful.
