Couldn't Get it Down

My most memorable go-around was a trip to Montauk Point at about 4AM or so. As
a fairly new pilot, I was taking some friends to a fishing charter that had
already been arranged, and in the earlier weather briefing I was concerned
about fog (because fog happens down there). I arrived, there was no fog at
all. However the winds were such that I was holding full rudder and full
aileron to keep the nose paralell to the runway. I was just about doing it
too, and a twin on the ground (the rest of the party) was reporting 20 kt
direct crosswind. Well, lets take a look. But coming in low over the dunes we
got bounced around quite a bit and I decided that this wasn't going to work
out. I gave it one other shot and thentold the twin that the wind exceeded the
capability of this aircraft. I decided we'd go on to Nantucket or Martha's
Vinyard and just bum around there for the day.

Upon later reflection, I realized I might have been able to make it in coming
the other way, over the town rather than over the dunes. But better to be down
here wishing you were up there....

In any case, although it was disappointing (and there was quite a bit of
pressure to get down), the friends with whom I'd been flying had a lot more
respect for me as a pilot for abandoning the approach rather than trying again
and again and maybe changing the shape of the aircraft. And they say that to
this day.

Jose




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