Instrument Question

[FRDOG]

In my company if we are part 91 we shoot the approach. I have always gone down to take a look in personal flying also. It's always tight but half of the time I make it in....yes legally. Remember if you see the Zipper you can go down to 100 above TDZE. From then it's your call. If you can justify 1800RVR or whatever it has to be for that approach then you are legal.
-Dog

 

[FRDOG]

Ok, I re-read the question and would like to revise my answer. I only started going down to 100 above TDZE and to like 50 above if i see the red lights on an ALSF-1-2 when I had like 100 actual under my belt. Before that I was not comfortable doing such low stuff in my 182. (I fly bigger stuff now) Point....50 or even 100 feet at 130kts is low to make a decision on weather or not you're legal to land....only with experience was I comfortable doing stupid sh*t like above. Either way you can't even try it 121 or 135 if you are past GS intercept.
-dog

 

[FRDOG]

rather, you can't try it if you are outside the glide....duh

 

[TurboS7]

First I agree with all of the above. If I had plenty of fuel and I am part 91 I would take the airplane down to minimums, if I had the ALS, approach lights, REILS, I would go down to 100 AFL, if I saw the red terminating bars or runway I would land, if not I would miss. Standby I have to turn the steaks....assuming that I have plenty of fuel I would come back around for a second try. I have found that on the second go usually it can be sucessful. You know the conditions etc. Once we were flying an approach into ROA and missed. The we realized that we were looking for the runway at the wrong place, we caught the lights on the second approach and made it it. The third try---forget it I am out of there no matter what. More people have died on the third try then you can count on your fingers and toes. Speaking of approaches, every professional pilot should have to confidence to fly the aircraft down to zero/zero. If you are in the sim see if the instructor will let you. It is nice to know that you can safely do it if you have too. Steaks are burning..see ya.

 

[Diesel8]

Nice discussion. I'd just like to add something about fuel. Don't forget that on your second + attempts you are cutting into your fuel to fly to an alternate and the 45 minutes plus after that under IFR (if you filed an alternate...). Even if that's plenty fuel...don't forget the follow up "interview" question (hopefully not real life) "and when you get to your alternate, there is a plane geared up on the runway..."
That 45 minutes of fuel might be needed. Just think about those things when you are considering your second, third, fourth... attempts.

 

[TurboS7]

No one said anything about legal fuel, we were talking a lot of fuel. Like in a 727 with 21,000 pounds, or in a LR25 with 2200 lbs, or in a 737-800 5000K or 12000 pounds, that kind of fuel. If I have only legal fuel or a little bit more, I won't even try the approach if it is below minimums.