As some of you know I like to fly to the Pyrenees from our Mallorca base with some regularity. One of the highlights is Peyresourde altiport (LFIP) with its spectacular, if short, sloping runway.
Come early June I had an acute case of get-thereitis since it had been some time since my last flight to the mountains. I had been waiting for the right wx forecast for several weeks in a row and there was always either too strong wind or storms predicted in the mountains every single day that my agenda allowed the trip.
At last, the day came when agenda matched a reasonable wx forecast although wind was on the marginal side at 20 kts at 10000ft. My mountain instructor and the AIP plate had warned me against landing with S-erly winds, but this day it seemed more like westerly , and the valley where LFIP is located at 5200ft tends to shadow prevailing winds anyway…or does it?. The only downside was I could not convince anyone to join me at short notice, so it was to be a solo flight.
So I flew NW to the mountains in good weather with some headwind. There was a BKN ACu coverage on the mountains but no terrain obscuration.
After some 90 mins flying time I was approaching the altiport from the East when…the above video continues the story courtesy of Flysto.
Bottom line was despite the effort to go there, I somehow managed to discipline myself into following my stacked risk process to call it a day and return home after a missed approach, this time with a bit of a tailwind as a consolation prize.
The stacked risk approach basically goes like this: if for a certain flight operation there is one higher-than-standard risk then I still call it a go, with mitigations. Two can still be a go, three is one too-many.
In this case I had the 15-kt crosswind (watching the replay it was more like 19kts). Normally this is easy to manage, especially with a reduced flap setting, but in this case being the altiport, I had to use full flaps, which our POH does not recommend for this crosswind. I have never landed full flaps with 15 kts crosswind. It can be done but you will likely need close to full control deflections during the flare, and at the altiport this is a deep, 12-degree, quick-deceleration flare onto the upslope runway vs the usual 3-degree flare, altogether needing above-standard flying skill.
Last, it was not any crosswind: it was a crosswind from the South as expressly warned against. Somehow the mountains had turned the prevailing Westerly winds into Southerly on final 09 at LFIP.
IN summary:
Altiport + limiting crosswind with full flap + S-wind @ LFIP = go around
Also there was clearly significant windshear as shown during the reconnaisance pass and by the 5-kt windsock (on the altiport ramp) vs 19kt-crosswind on short final.
The whole thing left me with a feeling of, on the one hand, flying 520nm for nothing, but OTOH, finding myself capable of making the right call despite the consequences and apparent wasted effort. That alone, and building that process into my muscle/decision memory made it worth it.
What is the paper between your headset cup and right ear?
The stacked risk approach basically goes like this: if for a certain flight operation there is one higher-than-standard risk then I still call it a go, with mitigations. Two can still be a go, three is one too-many.
@Antonio a good complement to the stabilised approach concept. There is a free Beech Bonanza APP that helpfully calculates M&B and performance and includes a FRAT (flight risk assessment tool) tool with a ‘risk meter’. It wouldn’t have captured some of the nuances of your risk assessment. One convention on CRM approach briefs is for the flight deck crew to define bottom lines on approaches with special risks, and rehearse the go around actions if those bottom lines are going to be breached. Your video was a good example of this technique, thank you for posting.
RobertL18C wrote:
Beech Bonanza APP
Interesting tool! I was not aware it existed.
I use that methodology not only for approach but for most grey decisions for a flight, also on the ground, mainly in the planning stages, but also in the air.
BTW I forgot to mention that the video is best watched with CC on for commentary.
lionel wrote:
What is the paper between your headset cup and right ear?
Ah, good catch! I was trying out my new headsets and kept the original paperwork in place in case I had to return it. Oops, I still have not removed it! One more for my to-do list…
