Anyone else land in the fog in IAD yesterday morning?

[Rocketman99]

I gotta say, it was a very interesting approach into IAD yeterday morning. The ATIS was reporting 1/8 mile and VV001. Tower was reporting RVRs for 1L and 1R ranging from 1600-2000 for touchdown and midfield. When I landed the RVR on 1R was 1800 (required RVR for the ILS is 1800). Minimums, approach lights in sight, continue....end bars - visual...landing... Wow, that was low vis! (I think my exact quote was more like "Holy #@&*!", I'd have to check the CVR to be sure... )
I've flown approaches to mins before but it happens so rarely you always appreciate the experience. I gotta say it was fun. My FO was still on high mins guy, I think he was astounded. Too bad I couldn't let him shoot it.

Of course the most difficult part wasn't the approach, it was trying to actually get to the Z gates. Since no one could see anything, ground had no idea where anyone was and though we turned off right near the gates it still took about 15 mins to get in!

[brent p h]

Originally Posted by Rocketman99

I gotta say, it was a very interesting approach into IAD yeterday morning. The ATIS was reporting 1/8 mile and VV001. Tower was reporting RVRs for 1L and 1R ranging from 1600-2000 for touchdown and midfield. When I landed the RVR on 1R was 1800 (required RVR for the ILS is 1800). Minimums, approach lights in sight, continue....end bars - visual...landing... Wow, that was low vis! (I think my exact quote was more like "Holy #@&*!", I'd have to check the CVR to be sure... )
I've flown approaches to mins before but it happens so rarely you always appreciate the experience. I gotta say it was fun. My FO was still on high mins guy, I think he was astounded. Too bad I couldn't let him shoot it.

Of course the most difficult part wasn't the approach, it was trying to actually get to the Z gates. Since no one could see anything, ground had no idea where anyone was and though we turned off right near the gates it still took about 15 mins to get in!

Just curious...... What type of aircraft do you operate? I fly this approach all the time on my flight sim at work. Sounds like a very challenging experience!

[Rocketman99]

Originally Posted by brent p h

Just curious...... What type of aircraft do you operate? I fly this approach all the time on my flight sim at work. Sounds like a very challenging experience!

I fly the mighty Saab-340B Airliner for Pinnacle Holdings Corp d.b.a. Colgan Air d.b.a. US Airways Express. It was fun.

[jtrain609]

No fog, but we shot an approach into the snow in...Atlanta!?

[Rocketman99]

It snows in Hotlanta? Well I'll be...

[OldTownPilot]

Originally Posted by Rocketman99

I fly the mighty Saab-340B Airliner for Pinnacle Holdings Corp d.b.a. Colgan Air d.b.a. US Airways Express. It was fun.

Airways has you taking the Saab into IAD? I knew the Beech went in there for Airways. Or did you for get what paint job was on the outside?

[Rocketman99]

Saab has been going into there as Airways as long as I've been at Colgan. I was coming from PIT.

[OldTownPilot]

Gotcha.


See I don't know everything about Colgan Although I do know quite a bit for someone that doesn't work there

[Rocketman99]

Yeah, it is surprising sometimes just how much you know about us. SPY!!!

[OldTownPilot]

Originally Posted by Rocketman99

Yeah, it is surprising sometimes just how much you know about us. SPY!!!

Well I am looking out the window at a Colgan hub, Half your 1900 fleet is on the ground right now.

[v1valarob]

Yesterday during the fog ( I was at Manassas ) the metar was reading overcast at 100, I thought you were not allowed to begin an approach if the WX was below minimums? Yet I went onto flightaware and saw numerous flights going into IAD.

-Rob

[casey]

Originally Posted by v1valarob

Yesterday during the fog ( I was at Manassas ) the metar was reading overcast at 100, I thought you were not allowed to begin an approach if the WX was below minimums? Yet I went onto flightaware and saw numerous flights going into IAD.

-Rob

you cannot cross the FAF if the wx is below mins (121), but that is typically only visibility. The DH/MDA is not controlling for wx mins unless the plate specifically makes note that the ceiling is required.

[Itchy]

They only tell you the ceiling to scare you.

Not trying to be in your face rude here, but your an airline captain posting about landing in/at minimums? Is this a new experience for you?

[BobDDuck]

Landing AT mins isn't as common as you'd think, especially on the east coast where stuff doesn't fog in that much, or if it does, it's so bad you just don't go (ACK in the spring/fall).

I've been doing the airline thing for almost 3 years now and can count on one hand the number of approaches I've shot to less then 2500 RVR.

[Foxcow]

I was there. Few things are more satisifying as a nice smooth approach down to minimums and a nice smooth landing.

[Rocketman99]

Amen brother.

Now for you Itchy, I've got well over 3500 flying hours and over 800 actual instrument to include countless approaches in military and civilian airframes over the past 8 years. With all that, I can count on one hand the number of times I've gotten the chance to fly an approach to an airport with an RVR of 1800. So if you wanna be an arse about it then I guess I'll say yeah, it's a new experience for me. Geez...

[v1valarob]

Originally Posted by Rocketman99

Amen brother.

Now for you Itchy, I've got well over 3500 flying hours and over 800 actual instrument to include countless approaches in military and civilian airframes over the past 8 years. With all that, I can count on one hand the number of times I've gotten the chance to fly an approach to an airport with an RVR of 1800. So if you wanna be an arse about it then I guess I'll say yeah, it's a new experience for me. Geez...

How do you guys count actual in an "airline" plane? When you hit the clouds do you really look at your watch and start timing? Seem like it would become one of those things where you have other stuff going on and its the least of your worries for that number to make it to your logbook.

Or do you just guesstimate?

-Rob

[Rocketman99]

Guesstimate.

Or you could go the AF way of "fly what you want, log what you need." Kidding, we didn't really do that...often.

[BobDDuck]

If I fly an approach to anything less then 1000 feet I log .3.

It doesn't really matter after a while.

[Rocketman99]

Don't forget the .1 for every time you fly into a cloud.

Can't believe people actually do that...

No, not bagging on you E.

[shinysideup]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

If I fly an approach to anything less then 1000 feet I log .3.

It doesn't really matter after a while.

Thats right on...

Each pilot must determine their own criteria for log books. Asking guidance is a great idea to make your decision. For me personally, when I was at Cape Air, if we could get it visually it was a visual approach, and no logging of an approach. If we couldn't we would have to shoot the approach as the only way to gain access to the airport. (There were times when the cigs were less then 500 ft, but I could see the airport from miles away because the layer was right over the roll out section of the airport, and I took the visual or contact as needed, and did not log the approach. There were other times when ack would report 1/4 mile, touch down better then 6000rvr, mid point and roll out 600rvr, and I would take the contact and not log the approach because I could see the numbers the entire way in. And then there were times that they reported basic VFR or better, but I still needed the approach to get from cruise altitude to the airport, so I would log the approach). Once again, if I needed the approach to gain access to the airport, then I logged it. If not, I did not.

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

I've been doing the airline thing for almost 3 years now and can count on one hand the number of approaches I've shot to less then 2500 RVR.

That is something I need to get used to again. While at Cape Air 1800 was just another day of flying in the muck, since I left 7 months ago, I have only shot one approach to mins, and I wasn't flying the approach, so I can't even count it. My personal record while at Cape was twelve 1800rvr approaches in one day. Let me tell you the beer tasted great that night.

[Ian J]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

Landing AT mins isn't as common as you'd think, especially on the east coast where stuff doesn't fog in that much, or if it does, it's so bad you just don't go (ACK in the spring/fall).

I've been doing the airline thing for almost 3 years now and can count on one hand the number of approaches I've shot to less then 2500 RVR.

The first 3 months on the job here I did 3 1800 rvrs in two weeks - and haven't seen anything close since.

My SIC did an approach the other day where we broke out at 250 ft with 1 mile visibility and he was thrilled he did his first approach to "minimums." Funny stuff.

[beechpilot]

Originally Posted by Rocketman99

Saab has been going into there as Airways as long as I've been at Colgan. I was coming from PIT.

If you are on the Saab 340, do they let you switch between codeshare partners or do you have to stay with one? (i.e. can you only fly US Airways Express flights?)

[v1valarob]

Originally Posted by beechpilot

If you are on the Saab 340, do they let you switch between codeshare partners or do you have to stay with one? (i.e. can you only fly US Airways Express flights?)

US and United peoples switch all the time. Flight Attendants have to bring the neck scarf thing for both airlines in case they switch in the middle of the day.

You can bid for Houston and switch to Continental, but it doesnt happen often. Its also a VERY rare occasion for someone on reserve in the NE to be sent to Houston for flights. Basically Northeast stay on UAL and US. Houston stay in Texas on Continental.

-Rob

[Itchy]

Fair enough.
I really am not trying to be "arse" about it, I was just curious. I guess I am "lucky" enough (??) that it is a lot more common place for me to be poking around at mins in the bottom half of the calender.