KNEW New Orleans Lakefront — Instrument Checkride Guide

What kind of airport is KNEW and what is its IFR environment?

New Orleans Lakefront Airport (KNEW) occupies a narrow strip of reclaimed land on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, within the New Orleans metropolitan area. At 8 ft MSL, the airport shares the near-sea-level elevation that characterizes Gulf Coast Louisiana. KNEW is the area's primary general aviation reliever airport and operates just outside the New Orleans Class B airspace boundary — meaning VFR pilots must be careful about boundary penetration, while IFR pilots receive sequencing through New Orleans Approach on 123.85 MHz (south) or 133.15 MHz (north).

The control tower operates from 0700 to 2100 on 118.95 MHz. Outside those hours, 118.95 becomes the CTAF. ATIS is available on 124.9 MHz. Basic radar service is available outside the Class B boundary, making KNEW a useful training and practice environment for instrument approaches without operating inside heavy Class B commercial traffic.

What instrument approaches are published at KNEW?

KNEW offers four published instrument procedures, providing precision ILS guidance and RNAV alternatives for the primary runway, plus a conventional VOR/DME procedure for the opposite direction. All data sourced from AirNav and verified against current SkyVector chart listings.

The ILS RWY 18R is the primary precision approach. Pilots flying a checkride at KNEW should verify current minima on official FAA charts — 14 CFR 91.175 requires all minima to be met before descending below DA or MDA. The VOR/DME RWY 36L approach serves as a useful non-precision scenario for DPE evaluation of MDA discipline and missed approach execution.

What is the runway configuration at KNEW?

KNEW has three runways: the primary instrument runway 18R/36L, a parallel shorter runway 18L/36R, and a crosswind runway 9/27. Only runway 18R/36L has published instrument approaches. The other two runways serve visual and training traffic.

The proximity of Lake Pontchartrain to the north creates a unique arrival environment for runway 18R: the final approach begins over open water, with no terrain features to provide visual references until the airport environment comes into view near the threshold. Pilots on the ILS RWY 18R should be prepared for disorienting featureless black terrain on nighttime approaches over the lake.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KNEW?

KNEW's shoreline position on Lake Pontchartrain makes it one of the more fog-prone airports in the Gulf South. Radiation fog forms on calm, clear nights when moist air from the lake contacts a cooled surface — a pattern that occurs year-round but peaks from October through March. These events can drop ceilings to 100–200 ft and visibility to 1/4 mile or less before sunrise, then lift rapidly within 2–3 hours of sunrise. Pilots planning early morning IFR departures from KNEW should check TAFs carefully and plan for the possibility of a below-minimums departure airport.

Summer weather at KNEW follows the Gulf Coast pattern: afternoon thunderstorms from June through September build over the warm Lake Pontchartrain basin and surrounding land areas. Lake-generated convection can produce intense but brief cells that move across the field and reduce visibility to near zero for 15–30 minutes before clearing. The National Weather Service New Orleans/Baton Rouge (LIX) office issues terminal aerodrome forecasts specific to the KNEW area.

Tropical weather threats are significant from June through November. The New Orleans metropolitan area falls within the Gulf Coast hurricane corridor, and KNEW is subject to closure during tropical storm and hurricane events. During named storm approaches, all aircraft must be removed from the airport or tied down to hurricane specifications.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KNEW?

A checkride at KNEW is a realistic general aviation IFR environment — less saturated with airline traffic than nearby KMSY, but operationally meaningful. New Orleans Approach routes IFR arrivals through published STARs before vectoring to the ILS RWY 18R final. The DPE may use the STAR as an evaluation opportunity for flight management system (FMS) or GPS loading skill and for proper read-back of altitude crossing restrictions.

The ILS RWY 18R is the expected primary approach. The featureless Lake Pontchartrain final is operationally relevant: a DPE may note whether the pilot attempts to use lake surface features as visual references prematurely on the approach. Under 14 CFR 91.175(c), the only valid visual references for continuing below DA are those listed in the regulation — water surface reflections do not qualify.

A common KNEW checkride scenario pairs the ILS RWY 18R with the VOR/DME RWY 36L as a second approach. The VOR/DME requires the pilot to manage MDA discipline without vertical guidance — a core non-precision skill evaluated under ACS Task VI.B. After the VOR/DME, the DPE may issue a simulated missed approach and ask the pilot to proceed to KMSY as the alternate, which introduces alternate minimums and IFR fuel requirements under 14 CFR 91.167.

The proximity to the Class B boundary is a planning factor the DPE may raise in the oral: how does the Class B boundary affect VFR versus IFR operations at KNEW, and what is the pilot's responsibility if ATC inadvertently routes them inside the boundary without an explicit clearance?

Practice Questions

1. You are flying the ILS RWY 18R at KNEW over Lake Pontchartrain. At 600 ft AGL you see light reflections off the water surface. Can you use those reflections as a visual reference to continue descending below DA? What does 14 CFR 91.175(c) say?

2. The DPE asks you to fly the VOR/DME RWY 36L approach. During the approach you reach MDA and the runway environment is not in sight. What action is required and at what point?

3. After your first approach at KNEW, the DPE assigns KMSY as your alternate and asks whether you have sufficient fuel. What regulation governs IFR fuel requirements and what is the minimum fuel you must have on board at that point?

4. KNEW tower closes at 2100. You are cleared for the ILS RWY 18R at 2115. How does the tower closure affect your landing, and what does the airspace revert to?

5. New Orleans Approach gives you a STAR transition with an altitude crossing restriction of "at or below 6,000" at a fix. You arrive at the fix at 5,500 ft. Did you comply? What if you crossed at 6,500 ft?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KNEW?

KNEW publishes an ILS or LOC to runway 18R, RNAV (GPS) approaches to both runway 18R and runway 36L, and a VOR/DME approach to runway 36L. The ILS RWY 18R includes DME. With four published procedures, KNEW offers meaningful IFR currency and checkride scenarios despite its general aviation focus.

Q: What is the airspace class at KNEW?

KNEW sits just outside the New Orleans Class B boundary, within Class D airspace during tower hours. Basic radar service is available outside the New Orleans Class B boundary. IFR arrivals and departures are coordinated through New Orleans Approach, with sequencing through or around the adjacent Class B as required.

Q: What runways does KNEW have?

KNEW has three runways: 18R/36L at 6,879 × 150 ft (the primary instrument runway), 18L/36R at 3,697 × 75 ft, and 9/27 at 3,114 × 75 ft. Only runway 18R/36L has published instrument approaches. The shorter runways serve VFR traffic and training operations.

Q: What are the KNEW communications frequencies?

KNEW ATIS broadcasts on 124.9 MHz. The control tower operates on 118.95 MHz from 0700 to 2100 local. Ground is 121.7 MHz (0700–2100). New Orleans Approach handles IFR traffic on 123.85 MHz (south sector) and 133.15 MHz (north sector). Outside tower hours, 118.95 is the CTAF.

Q: What weather hazards should instrument pilots expect at KNEW?

KNEW sits on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain at 8 ft MSL, creating a fog-prone environment year-round. Lake-effect moisture and radiation fog can drop ceilings below 200 ft on calm nights. Gulf tropical weather threats from June through November affect the entire New Orleans metropolitan area including KNEW.

Q: Is KNEW inside New Orleans Class B airspace?

No. KNEW is located just outside the New Orleans Class B boundaries. ATC provides basic radar service outside the Class B. However, routes to and from KNEW frequently penetrate the Class B boundary — an IFR clearance includes the necessary authorization. VFR pilots must obtain explicit Class B clearance separately under 14 CFR 91.131.

Q: What STARs are available at KNEW?

KNEW has published STAR procedures including AWDAD, MNSTR, OLEDD, and TRSSH arrivals. These bring IFR traffic from the enroute structure into the New Orleans terminal area for sequencing onto the instrument approaches. Pilots should load the appropriate STAR before departure based on the expected arrival routing in their IFR clearance.

Sources

• AirNav — KNEW Airport Information
• SkyVector — KNEW Instrument Approach Procedures
• 14 CFR 91.131 — Operations in Class B Airspace (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.167 — Fuel Requirements for IFR Flight (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge (LIX) — Terminal Forecasts

This article was researched from FAA primary sources (ACS, FAR/AIM, Advisory Circulars, Instrument Flying Handbook), approach procedure data from AirNav and SkyVector, and citing current 14 CFR Part 91 — drafted by MockDPE. Last updated: May 2026. If you spot an inaccuracy, email corrections@mockdpe.org.