A C208 flight crew inbound to phnl requested a freeway visual approach but soon learned that the alt...

Narrative:

My captain and I were flying a part 135 flight to phnl. Flying in hawaii; and per 135.183; we're required to remain within gliding distance in our single-engine cessna caravan. The minimum altitude to cross the molokai channel is 5000 ft. MSL. The caravan can glide roughly two miles per 1000 ft. Of altitude; no wind. We had departed VFR and planned to do a visual approach into honolulu. Upon switching to honolulu approach we requested the freeway 2 arrival. The controller cleared us through the bravo airspace and told us to turn to heading 230; descend and maintain 2000 ft. MSL. That heading brought us further off-shore; so we began a very slow descent down to 2000. After failing to receive a turn on-shore; we queried the controller about a turn inbound. The controller came on and said; 'if you don't increase your descent to 2000; I'm not going to be able to turn you in.' my captain got on the radio and informed the controller about our glide distance. The controller; in a much more agitated tone; told us once again that he could not turn us in unless we descended. My captain told him that we could not descend; reiterated our requirement to remain within glide; and requested a turn inbound. The controller; even more agitated; told us that he couldn't turn us unless we descended and informed us that we were in a departure corridor. When we asked what altitude we needed to be at before he could turn us; he told us that we needed to be below 4000 ft. MSL. We had to choose between descending slowly and going further outbound before turning on-shore or descending quickly; violating glide; and getting a quicker turn on-shore. In order to get into the airport; my captain complied with the controller's instructions. The request was a double-edge sword: either violate the controller's instructions or violate our glide requirement. I have been told that the approach control facility has been notified time and time again of our requirement to remain within glide; yet some controllers will not take that into consideration when issuing instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C208 flight crew inbound to PHNL requested a Freeway Visual approach but soon learned that the altitudes required for doing so overwater were incompatible with their requirement to remain within gliding distance of land when operating over water.

Narrative: My captain and I were flying a part 135 flight to PHNL. Flying in Hawaii; and per 135.183; we're required to remain within gliding distance in our single-engine Cessna Caravan. The minimum altitude to cross the Molokai Channel is 5000 ft. MSL. The Caravan can glide roughly two miles per 1000 ft. of altitude; no wind. We had departed VFR and planned to do a visual approach into Honolulu. Upon switching to Honolulu Approach we requested the Freeway 2 arrival. The controller cleared us through the Bravo airspace and told us to turn to heading 230; descend and maintain 2000 ft. MSL. That heading brought us further off-shore; so we began a very slow descent down to 2000. After failing to receive a turn on-shore; we queried the controller about a turn inbound. The controller came on and said; 'If you don't increase your descent to 2000; I'm not going to be able to turn you in.' My captain got on the radio and informed the controller about our glide distance. The controller; in a much more agitated tone; told us once again that he could not turn us in unless we descended. My captain told him that we could not descend; reiterated our requirement to remain within glide; and requested a turn inbound. The controller; even more agitated; told us that he couldn't turn us unless we descended and informed us that we were in a departure corridor. When we asked what altitude we needed to be at before he could turn us; he told us that we needed to be below 4000 ft. MSL. We had to choose between descending slowly and going further outbound before turning on-shore or descending quickly; violating glide; and getting a quicker turn on-shore. In order to get into the airport; my captain complied with the controller's instructions. The request was a double-edge sword: either violate the controller's instructions or violate our glide requirement. I have been told that the approach control facility has been notified time and time again of our requirement to remain within glide; yet some controllers will not take that into consideration when issuing instructions.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Attributes
ACN	1236416
Time
Date	201501
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	HNL.Airport
State Reference	HI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Caravan 208B
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Vectors Visual Approach
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15 Flight Crew Total 207 Flight Crew Type 175
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Clearance

A C208 flight crew inbound to phnl requested a freeway visual approach but soon learned that the altitudes required for doing so overwater were incompatible with their requirement to remain within gliding distance of land when operating over water.