Question to the IFR Pilots Out There

On 17 Nov 2003 08:58:59 -0800, (Snowbird)
wrote:

Stan Gosnell me@work wrote in message ...
(Snowbird) wrote in
om:
Probably the hardest and most dangerous part of IFR flight
in IMC is the transition to visual once you break out on
approach.

This isn't usually well-taught under the hood. Your safety
pilot tells you "look up" and the airport is there.
snip
My safety pilot is there for one reason...safety. To look out for
traffic and keep me advised. They do not make the decision when to
look outside.


OTOH, if I fly to MDA in the typical "dive and drive" method, I
may be 2+ miles from the MAP and unable to see the runway yet.
If I start sneaking in peaks, I may catch it from about a mile
away and be able to power back and land.

I fly a practice VOR the same was as I do in real life (IRL).
I do the step down when appropriate and then fly it to minimums before
looking. IE. I go down to MDA and don't peak until I'm within a mile
of the airport. I figure if I don't see the runway from a mile out I
wouldn't be able to land any way. I do not fly the approach all the
way to the MAP before peaking, *Unless* I'm doing lots of approaches
and have no intention of landing. OTOH I fly every approach as if it
were going to end in a missed.

There are those rare times when you'd not see the airport until the
MAP but I contend that if you don't catch a glimpse until the MAP you
are not likely to be able to land any way (depending on the size of
the airport). With our longest runway being 3800 feet, if I don't see
the airport until the MAP while at MDA I am unlikely to be able to
land.

Even the circle to land is in doubt if you don't see the airport until
the MAP. You are not permitted to descend until within 30 degrees of
the desired runway and in this scenario the majority of the circle to
land is likely to be in and out of the clouds, which legally means a
missed.

Yes, I could pull the power, go into a steep slip and land with plenty
of runway left, but I'd have over half the runway behind me and the
FAA says we are supposed to make the landing in a "normal" attitude.
Hence if I don't see the airport until the MAP I fully intend on going
missed and then flying the ILS at MBS which is only and extra 11 miles
for my ride.

OTOH, I have seen a day or two where it was below minimums until just
prior to the MAP and the airport was out in the clear. Two planes
coming in. The first landed, and the second had to go missed and over
to MBS which was VFR. I've also seen it legal VFR within two to three
miles of the airport when the airport was below minimums.

To me, flying the approach all the way to the MAP is a good exercise
in confidence building, but IRL I'd already be calling Approach for
MBS telling them I was going to be paying them a visit by the time I
reached the MAP if I had not seen the airport.

I'm not at all bashful about bringing in the power and doing a good
circle to land while staying within a mile, but not if I'm going to be
pushing the legal limits. I'm not too proud to say, "this is not for
me, lets go to MBS"...or where ever.

Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)

Could you explain how to apply your advice here?

Thanks!
Sydney