hazek wrote:
I mean it isn’t exactly an easy field and they actually don’t allow t&gs training flights without two familiarization flights with an instructor that have to be carried out within 6 weeks but still, if you aim well with good technique there is no reason to need more than half of the runway for landing.
When reading the AD2.22, I only see this restriction for ‘solo training’, which would convert into ‘no solo student without additional familiarization’, correct? Which would make sense for a demanding airfield, anyways.
I personally don’t consider Spa to be a difficult airfield, I’ve seen and experienced worse in terms of wind disruption over trees – EDKZ springs to mind, especially flying to 25 with the wind from, say, 200° – if you’re not slightly higher than on a normal approach, you’ll feel the turbulence. Another is EDRM with the trees and a mast on approach to 36. If you come in slightly higher, avoid the “chump profile”, as Paul Bertorelli called it, there shouldn’t be an issue. 800m isn’t short for a P28A either….
Having said this, in a Piper 140, in blustery conditions – although the METAR in Liege was showing 190/11, other sources claim it was 170/15 gusting 20+ – I can easily see how they didn’t have enough power available. It’s a short(ish) runway so you’ve elected to use full flaps (40°); now, halfway down the runway, you realise you’ve floated too much, especially as you’re used to the acres available at EDLN, you decide to go around – add full power, the nose comes up and you’re suddenly caught on the back side of the power curve, being blown into the trees…..
PS: For those who haven’t seen his magnificent sarcastic take on pattern training, here it is, scroll forward to 1m 26 seconds if you want to see where he describes the chump profile…
reminds me, must buy some genuine Van Heusen Pilot’s shirts…. 
Sad news. I knew that plane because i changed some parts in it.
