KSSI Malcolm McKinnon Airport — Instrument Checkride Guide

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

Malcolm McKinnon Airport (KSSI) sits approximately 1 mile north of St. Simons Island on the Georgia coast, at 18 feet MSL. The airport is uncontrolled — no control tower — with CTAF/UNICOM on 123.05 MHz. AWOS-3PT broadcasts automated weather on 120.025 MHz, including precipitation type reporting.

IFR separation is provided by Jacksonville Center (ZJX) on 126.75 MHz. There is no dedicated approach control for KSSI — Jacksonville Center provides both en-route and terminal radar services for IFR aircraft in this area. The barrier island location and low elevation make KSSI an airport where sea fog and marine weather can drop conditions to or below minimums with little warning, making the alternate airport planning discussion particularly relevant for any checkride using this airport.

What instrument approaches are published at KSSI?

KSSI has 3 published instrument approach procedures, sourced from SkyVector.

No ILS is published at KSSI — all approaches are non-precision. The RNAV (GPS) approaches provide GPS-guided lateral course and step-down fixes; the availability of LPV or LNAV/VNAV minima should be verified on the current FAA chart. The VOR approach to runway 04 uses ground-based navaid guidance and is the only non-GPS instrument procedure available — an important option if GPS is unreliable or NOTAM'd out of service. Always verify current minima on official FAA approach charts before flight.

What is the runway configuration at KSSI?

KSSI has 2 runways.

Runway 04/22 carries all published instrument procedures and is the primary IFR runway. At 5,584 feet, it accommodates piston and light turboprop general aviation aircraft. Runway 16/34 at 3,313 feet has no instrument approaches and is not suitable for IFR operations in low visibility.

What weather should instrument pilots expect at KSSI?

KSSI's barrier island location makes sea fog the primary IFR weather concern. When moist onshore flow moves over cooler Atlantic waters at night, advection fog can form rapidly and persist through morning. Ceilings can drop to 100–200 feet and visibility to less than a quarter mile with little advance warning from automated weather systems. The AWOS-3PT on 120.025 MHz provides real-time surface conditions, but fog can develop between automated observation cycles.

Summer afternoon convective activity is a seasonal factor from June through September. Sea-breeze convergence across coastal Georgia generates afternoon thunderstorms that can quickly cover the approach environment with convective IMC. These storms typically dissipate after sunset but may affect an evening arrival window.

The absence of an ILS at KSSI means the airport has higher approach minimums than a precision-equipped field. In conditions near minimums, this difference is operationally significant: a non-precision LNAV MDA may be 300–400 feet higher than a comparable ILS DA. Pilots planning operations into KSSI should always carry sufficient fuel to divert to Jacksonville International (KJAX) or Savannah/Hilton Head International (KSAV), both of which have ILS approaches.

What should you expect on an instrument checkride at KSSI?

KSSI is purpose-built for the alternate airport and non-precision approach discussions that are core to the IFR oral exam. DPEs who use this airport as a destination are testing whether the applicant can think through a complete IFR scenario — not just fly a needle.

The most important checkride topic at KSSI is the alternate airport requirement. Under 14 CFR 91.169, an alternate is required whenever the forecast at the destination does not meet the 1-2-3 rule: ceiling at least 2,000 feet and visibility at least 3 miles for 1 hour before through 1 hour after ETA. Because KSSI has only non-precision approaches, an alternate filed for KSSI must meet non-precision alternate minimums — 800-foot ceiling and 2-mile visibility — unless non-standard minimums are published. The DPE may ask you to verify whether KSSI itself can serve as an alternate for a nearby destination, and the answer depends on which approach type is available at KSSI for alternate purposes.

On the flight portion, expect the RNAV (GPS) RWY 04 approach as the primary procedure. The DPE will evaluate your MDA discipline — arriving at MDA and leveling off without descending further until the required visual references are in sight. Under 14 CFR 91.175(c), descent below MDA is not permitted unless specific visual references are identified. A common error at non-precision airports is continuing to descend through MDA — the examiner is watching for it.

The VOR approach to runway 04 may be assigned to test your proficiency with a ground-based navaid procedure. Expect the examiner to ask how you would fly the VOR approach if your GPS failed, and what the timing or DME requirements are for the final approach segment.

Practice Questions

1. You are planning a flight to KSSI with a forecast at ETA of 1,200 broken, 4 miles. Is an alternate required under 14 CFR 91.169? Walk the DPE through your analysis.

2. You are established at MDA on the RNAV (GPS) RWY 04 approach. You see the approach lights but not the runway environment. Under 14 CFR 91.175(c), are you authorized to continue descending? What specific visual references must you have to descend below MDA?

3. Your GPS fails while 20 nm from KSSI. You are IFR in IMC. What approach procedure remains available at KSSI, and what is required to execute it? How does this change your fuel and alternate planning?

4. The DPE asks you to file KJAX as your alternate. The forecast at KJAX for your ETA shows 700 overcast, 2 miles. KJAX has an ILS. Does KJAX qualify as a legal alternate, and what minimum standard applies?

5. You are on the RNAV (GPS) RWY 22 approach and reach MDA with no runway environment in sight. Describe your missed approach procedure and the actions you take to coordinate with Jacksonville Center on frequency 126.75 MHz.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What instrument approaches are published at KSSI?

KSSI has two RNAV (GPS) approaches — to runway 04 and runway 22 — and a VOR approach to runway 04. There is no ILS at KSSI. All approaches are non-precision. Always verify current minima on official FAA charts before flight.

Q: Does KSSI have a control tower?

No. Malcolm McKinnon Airport is an uncontrolled airport. CTAF/UNICOM is 123.05 MHz. AWOS-3PT broadcasts on 120.025 MHz. Jacksonville Center (ZJX) provides IFR separation and can be reached on 126.75 MHz for en-route and approach services.

Q: What is the AWOS frequency at KSSI?

KSSI has an AWOS-3PT broadcasting on 120.025 MHz. The PT designation indicates the AWOS includes precipitation type reporting in addition to the standard wind, altimeter, temperature, and sky condition information of a standard AWOS-3.

Q: What runways does KSSI have?

KSSI has two runways: runway 04/22 at 5,584 feet by 100 feet (the primary instrument runway with published RNAV and VOR approaches) and runway 16/34 at 3,313 feet by 75 feet (no published instrument approaches, VFR use only).

Q: What weather hazards should IFR pilots expect at KSSI?

Sea fog is the primary hazard at KSSI. The island location 1 mile off the Georgia coast means onshore flow with moist marine air can produce low ceilings and visibility restrictions overnight and in the morning. Summer afternoon convection is common across coastal Georgia. Alternate airport filing is frequently required due to single-approach availability at KSSI.

Q: Why is alternate airport planning important for KSSI?

KSSI has only non-precision approaches, so alternate minimums require 800-foot ceiling and 2-mile visibility at the alternate unless non-standard minimums are published. Because KSSI itself has only non-precision approaches, the 1-2-3 rule under 14 CFR 91.169 requires that pilots file an alternate whenever the destination forecast doesn't meet standard or non-standard minimums.

Q: What is the elevation at KSSI?

Malcolm McKinnon Airport is at 18 feet MSL on St. Simons Island, Georgia. The sea-level elevation and barrier island location make KSSI particularly susceptible to sea fog and marine layer weather from the Atlantic.

Sources

• SkyVector — KSSI Airport Information
• 14 CFR 91.169 — IFR Flight Plan Alternate Requirements (Cornell LII)
• 14 CFR 91.175 — Takeoff and Landing Under IFR (Cornell LII)
• FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15B
• FAA Instrument Procedures Handbook FAA-H-8083-16B

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