Couple a good sized rocks next to this field.

[Donsa320]

I was doing a BFR with a friend who wasn't used to the terrain we were flying near. He asked for directions and I told him to fly up to the mountains and then north. He stopped a flew parallel to the mountains when he was about a mile away from them. In an effort to show him one could safely and legally fly closer to the terrain I took control of the plane and turned towards the granite. When he expressed concern, the exercise was terminated and we had a discussion.

The terrain is moving, and as a result, dynamic. The fact is it isn't moving very fast. There are many times where it is in fact SAFER to fly closer to the terrain than away from it. That's hard to accept sometimes, especially if you haven't done it before. If you fly arrivals and appr. procedures with the same prescision every time, what's outside the protected airspace shouldn't make any difference. Knowing what's protected and what's not is; however, key.

There's a famous picture of an A-300 wrecked on a hill, just outside of his CAT D circling limits. I think the accident was in Taiwan.

Avbug isn't always right, but has it right with this one.

Lilah

Pusan...now Busan...South Korea is where the circling accident occured, for the record.

DC

 

[canadflyau]

I would say any airport with rocks/mountains in the vicinity should be considered difficult. Its not just the see and avoid that is difficult, its what you can't see. Mountain flying is challenging and requires heads up thinking and always having an escape plan. Updrafts, downdrafts, rotors, orographic turbulence, incorrect barometric settings.

 

[irapilot]

a fav: http://www.airliners.net/open.file/974183/L/

 

[Flightjock30]

Other "fly correct heading" places that I am reminded of:

RNO, LAS, SFO, DEN, COS, SLC, PUB, ABQ, OGD, to name a few, and those
are all in this country!