Kay From France, joined Mar 2002, 1884 posts, RR: 3 Posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 1556 times:
Hi all,
just flew to Larnaca, Cyprus and back this weekend. We were coming from Beirut airport and were to land on rwy 04 at Larnaca, in the airbus A320 of Cyprus airways. The flight is only 20 minutes, so the aircraft doesn't climb more than 10 or 15000ft.
Here's the weird part. At the last stages of descent, we were at about 1000ft when I saw a strip of runway to the right of the aircraft. It was short, ends on the shore and looked more like a road. I remember clearly saying the myself "this can't be the runway because we are so off the center I would miss it even if I was in a Cessna!"
and all of a sudden, the plane engages into a descending 30' bank to the right at less than 1000ft, goes on with the bank, it isn't steep or rough, just firm and regular. It stays in the bank, yet is descending closer and closer to the ground. At one point, we were almost entering the threshold, the ground just a few feet below us, and the aircraft still engaged in the same bank. Just before we flew above the tarmac, the aircraft went smoothly to straight and level, exactly aligned at the center of the runway. Being a PPL myself, I was very surprised as to how late pilots are allowed to be unaligned with the center of the runway. It is the first time this happens to me, there was no base/final turn, just a smooth descending roll that ended exactly at the runway threshold center.
So there are no rules whatsover against that kind of landing?
kay
Rick767 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 2662 posts, RR: 52 Reply 1, posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1503 times:
Very unusual if it was as you described. Larnaca 04 is a pretty standard VOR or NDB straight-in approach, or more often a simple visual approach.
On the NDB or VOR you pretty much have to be established on the FAT (Final Approach Track) by 6 miles which is much further away than on the flight you described. On a visual approach (757) I would never want to be at less than 4 miles before being on track with a good height profile. You would still be at 1,200ft @ the 4 mile point on the 04 approach to LCLK.
Our company policy requires the aircraft to be fully stabilised on the approach in both lateral and vertical profiles at 1,000ft AAL at the latest.
Of course we can deviate from the standard operating procedures whenever necessary but only when safe conditions to do so exist and there is good reason.
I used to love the smell of Jet-A in the morning...
FrequentFlyKid From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1201 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 1510 times:
I am no expert, but it sounds to me as if it was an offset ILS/LDA approach.
411A From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1826 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 1490 times:
Have personally operated to Larnaca (ry04), visual approach in a Lockheed TriStar, rolled out on final at one mile at 300 feel agl. Not all that difficult if done properly.
Kay From France, joined Mar 2002, 1884 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 1409 times:
that's weird. When I got off the A320, I took another look at it to make sure it is not much smaller than the average narrow-body jet. It sure felt very nimble and agile by the way the pilot handled it.
Also, there is no space at all for correction in case he approaches too wide or too fast?
I mean, what about all the circuit patterns, ILS signals, PAPI/VASI etc? if on a good day it is so easy to just land the thing like it was a Cessna, not forbidden nor discouraged? not even slightly dangerous?
411A From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1826 posts, RR: 9 Reply 7, posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 1404 times:
Not "late" Covert, it was planned that way.
If you have ever done close-in circling in a jet, you would understand.
'Tis called...maintaining proficiency.
ThirtyEcho From United States of America, joined Dec 2001, 1634 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (10 years 7 months 2 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 1335 times:
What's the big mystery here? The pilot simply flew a traffic pattern. Instead of distinct base to final legs he just flew a 180 from the downwind. That is perfectly legal and perfectly safe.
Tsentsan From Singapore, joined Jan 2002, 2016 posts, RR: 16 Reply 11, posted (10 years 7 months 1 week 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 1290 times:
Saw something like this in Changi Airport on both a CX 777-300 (CX2073) and RSAF KC-135/F-50 ... the CX was visual of 02L, and he was on downwind (I would say perpendicular to 02R) when he turned and when he completed the turn he was just above the threshold........ same with the KC-135/F50s however that came in on 20R... Very spectacular to watch though.
Sponsor Message: 
From France, joined Mar 2002, 1884 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2000, 2662 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Nov 2001, 1201 posts, 
From Ghana, joined Oct 2001, 1436 posts, 
From Singapore, joined Jan 2002, 2016 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
