Toughest Approaches...

[HawkerF/O]

LDA 2 into Juneau, Alaska was always a good time.

Got that one thrown on me last year during a sim evaluation for a fortune 50 job. It was the full approach down to mins, OEI, then the miss to a hold. Flying was fine, but FSI Dallas stuck a loser in there with me, and babysitting him in a aircraft he is supposed to be a so called "expert" in was more time consuming than the approach. (IE, "Please center the heading bug" I had to tell him after EVERY turn) The approach was followed up a week later with a "thanks, but no thanks".

Drop into Maryland and give this on a go:
http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0608/05222VDTZ15.PDF

The Widowmaker someone spoke of earlier:
http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0608/00354HI21.PDF

 

[Immelman]

VOR-DME 32 to MFR... check out the step-downs on that one.

 

[Ralgha]

VOR-DME 32 to MFR... check out the step-downs on that one.

You mean the LOC/DME BC 32 right? It's pretty fun. Very steep. If you have to stop at the MDA you're pretty much screwed for the straight in.

Oh I see that airnav's plate says it's a circling only approach now...I could swear that my plate says runway 32 on it...it's at the airport though.

 

[MFRskyknight]

You mean the LOC/DME BC 32 right? It's pretty fun. Very steep. If you have to stop at the MDA you're pretty much screwed for the straight in.

Oh I see that airnav's plate says it's a circling only approach now...I could swear that my plate says runway 32 on it...it's at the airport though.

Haven't got to try that one out yet. Sounds like a good time.

MFR

 

[SIR MILO]

EAT, wenatchee arch to vor approach. three hand offs and the third before you say anything your cleared for the approach, hope your slow enough. THe arch is fast and the step downs are faster, pop out on a angle...

 

[Wankel7]

Man tough approach is that that single girl at the end of the bar and hasn't been drinking and hates pilots...good luck!

 

[bubbers44]

Timeoff, 50% chance it was me. Two of us alternated that route in 2002. I am trying to figure out how to get my retirement landing from the cockpit video on that site. Almost got it ready to submit.

 

[Say Again Over]

The HI-ILS full procedure at Roswell, NM is nicknamed "The Widowmaker

This may indeed be a hard approach but really shouldn't be in the same category as previous posts. Roswell is almost always CAVU, flat as a pancake, huge runways.

 

[727C47]

Tegucigalpa, Honduras, we did it with the 727 back in '002, 6300' ft runway, sheer drop off at the end, and if I remember correctly a 5.4 degree g/s, WOW ! The GPWS was screaming the whole way down, but we made it. Day VFR only, thank God, I shudder to think of it at night,and in WX.

 

[bubbers44]

TGU has 6100 ft for runway 20 landing but for the hill on approach and fence and highway right at the runway end 02 has 5400 ft after a 700 ft displaced threshold. When you and I flew there the runways were 19 and 01. We were not allowed to land straight in because of the high hills on the approach center line. Our Air Force put a C130 off the cliff at the end of 20 a while back with disasterous results. FL350 has some video of approaches including our AA flight landing there. I am trying to add my retirement landing video from the cockpit now.

 

[Gorilla]

Teguce - bad reputation, never been there. Guatemala City, as the guys have mentioned, is not fun when the wx is down, and it often is, because the controllers often fib a bit so the local carriers can land. Rocks, turbulence, and an active volcano, it's all there, plus the thrill of a slippery runway shaped like a roller coaster.

San Jose CR - ILS to 7, circle to land 25, when the wx is at mins for the circle. You've got to be ready. If not, don't even bother, and just miss, fuel permitting. The big problem is that a lot of guys don't even know they're landing 25 until tower says "Cleared to land, RWY 25" as you are near GS intercept for 7.

 

[Say Again Over]

Funchal, Madeira Islands, quite an interesting visual approach.

 

[tomgoodman]

Tough to divert

Ascension Island (South Atlantic Ocean), especially at night. Humpbacked runway is closely flanked by large, dark, lava-rock hills. Nearest alternate is 1200 miles away.

 

[ReportCanoa]

Ascension Island (South Atlantic Ocean), especially at night. Humpbacked runway is closely flanked by large, dark, lava-rock hills. Nearest alternate is 1200 miles away.

Been there. We diverted and landed on a Humpback whale.

 

[tomgoodman]

Whale tale

Been there. We diverted and landed on a Humpback whale.

Good work. Whale landings can be a challenge. I boltered off a spermwhale once when the arresting harpoon broke. Used a few depth charges to speed him up to a hundred knots or so, then made a short-field landing right on the blubber. It was a grease job.

 

[Say Again Over]

Good one Tom. :nuts: