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The RNAV (GPS) 28 at Tampa Intl (KTPA) says

Procedure NA for arrivals on PIE VORTAC radials 356 CW 157

That seems to mean the approach is not available for anyone generally northeast of the PIE VORTAC. Why is there a feeder drawn on radial 085, clearly within the 356 CW 157? Moreover, the whole approach procedure is within those radials east of PIE. Does the NA comment simply mean a pilot must be coming from the west side of PIE when they request the approach?

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2 Answers 2

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Your confusion may stem from the way you are viewing the instruction not to use it for arrival on the radials 356 to 157. If you were arriving on the 356 Radial of the PIE VORTAC, your course/track (and/or heading in calm winds) would be 176°. If you were arriving on the 157 Radial of the PIE VORTAC, your course/track (and/or heading in calm winds) would be 337°. If you were arriving on the 85 Radial of the PIE VORTAC, your course/track (and/or heading in calm winds) would be 265°. All of these arrivals would necessitate a hard, sharp turn at a potentially steep bank angle. This will need to be avoided.

You are able to use other routes to the Initial Approach Fix other than flying first to the PIE VORTAC. Like flying directly to the RUYKI waypoint as your first point on the IAP. This is especially valid since arriving on any of the above mentioned courses/tracks will place RUYKI in easy access of the pilot. This would be much simpler than trying to make that hard, sharp turn at a steep bank angle. Only minor adjustments from the arrival course/track at an appropriate distance from RUYKI would need to be made. This has the added benefit of reducing confusion and freeing up airspace from conflicting traffic.

If you are concerned with using the STARs as feeder routes, you would use the PIE VORTAC as your transition to the IAP from all STARs with endpoints West of KTAP. You would fly directly to RUYKI from all STARs with endpoints East of the IAP. If you have to lose altitude from your descent from the STARs, you would use the Hold en lieu of a course reversal to do so.

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    $\begingroup$ Normally you transition from a STAR to an IAP, but your point is correct. RUYKI is an IAF and you would not typically use the PIE VOR for the transition. You could easily transition to RUYKI from LAL (east) or OCF (northeast). Also IIRC, almost all TPA STARS include radar vectors long before you reach PIE. $\endgroup$
    – Gerry
    Feb 26, 2021 at 13:28
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks @Gerry. That was a late night error. I meant STARs. $\endgroup$
    – Dean F.
    Feb 26, 2021 at 14:21
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I generally agree with Dean F's answer regarding the issue of a sharp turn. A turn requiring too much of a heading change might take the aircraft outside of designed protected airspace. However, to be a bit more specific you can refer to the language shown below from FAA Order 8260.3E with respect to your question:

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An arrival from the north (radial 356, which is a course of 176 degrees) would require a left turn of 91 degrees and an arrival from the south (radial 157, which is a course of 337 degrees) would require a right turn of 108 degrees) to become established on the PIE 085 radial (course of 085 degrees - feeder route). This construction complies with the language in the Order 8260.3E shown below.

Also, note that approaching PIE from the north on airway V35 results in a course of 175 degrees (355 radial) and approaching PIE from the south on airway V35 results in a course of 337 degrees (157 radial). V35 would be one likely (non-radar) route an aircraft might be assigned when enroute to Tampa International (TPA) airport.

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