1/4 Mile Forward Visibility

[737Driver]

Last 500' of an ILS approach to minimums.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v496/737Driver/?action=view&current=DowntoMinimumsinCLT.flv

[Ngtflyr]

It's always a welcome sight to see the runway appear when you are at or approaching minimums, especially after a long day/night. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Xplantdad]

Mark...that's just crazy. That'd be a bit of a pucker factor for me! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Woj]

Cool video Mark,

You earn your money on approaches like that.

Did one down to 300 RVR back in the day at TWA on a 757.

Phil W. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[MosportGreen66]

Thats amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[kwhizz]

Wow!!...............Pretty Scary!!......but, I guess you learn to trust your Instruments after a while......But....Better than seeing this........LOL

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a251/kwhizz/37%20Ford/runway.gif

Ken

[JRSully]

When my old man was a DC10 Capt, he used to just flip the "iron monkey" (autoflare/autopilot)and let that land the aircraft

[flyingn]

thats plain ol crazy right there!! lol

[737Driver]

That ain't as big a deal as you might think...among professional airline pilots. Woj, don't you guys do CAT II approaches off the HUD?

At my airline, we can cut the visibility and ceiling that you see in my video by more than half and still land...safely. I'll try to capture one of those one day. Next time you are having a round of drinks in the cabin, remember to hoist one for the guys up front. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Happy New Year everyone!

Mark

[Woj]

Mark,

We are CAT IIIa at with the Heads Up Display.

Happy New Year everyone.

Phil Woj.

[737Driver]

Cool gadget, that HUD. Wish we had them. I believe Alaska uses them also.

[427TJ]

Yes, Alaska has HUDs on the captain's side. We can go down to 600 RVR (ILS Category IIIa/autoland) at Seattle. 600/600/Required, as a matter of fact. 600 feet runway visual range at touchdown, 600 midfield, "Required" at the rollout end. "Required" means that there has to be an operable Transmissometer (visibility measurement device) but no visual range value is required for rollout so zero is acceptable for the rollout value. Our minimum vis for takeoff is 300 RVR at Seattle and that's hand-flown. There is no such thing as an autopilot takeoff. Yet. Once they figure that out--and people will still be willing to get on airliners--Mark and I are out of a job!

Yeah, the first time you fly a CatIIIa down to "mins" it's an eye-opener but then they become routine. When the vis is that bad the winds are calm--or very light--so the landing is a non-event. The runway is straight ahead so it appears out of the fog right where you want it to be. In high crosswinds and low ceilings (not fog) you rock and roll down final approach and because the jet is "crabbed" into the wind, sometimes 15-20 degrees off, you have to look for the runway at one side of your windscreen or the other as you emerge from the clouds. Big fun!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runway_visual_range

[BARN FIND]

Just outa curiosity, what was the RVR on that approach?

[737Driver]

Mine was 100 overcast with the RVR 1,000 variable to 3,000.