Aspen flying
#11
-I moved this to corporate
#12
If you have never been there and you are single pilot in that mustang DONT DO IT!!!! You have no business going in there all by yourself the first time.
Get someone experienced to go with you. It's not like anything you have ever seen. One way in , one way out. I've done misses in the sim ,, I will never ,, LET ME REPEAT, NEVER,, go missed in real life. VFR only for me.
Get someone experienced to go with you. It's not like anything you have ever seen. One way in , one way out. I've done misses in the sim ,, I will never ,, LET ME REPEAT, NEVER,, go missed in real life. VFR only for me.
#13
New Hire
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2010
Posts: 2
Ok.... I have flown into Aspen a million times. If you don't have substantial mountain flying experience DO NOT GO!. Sky west has some severe procedures, and crews dedicated to this airport.
If you choose to go regardless, here are some tips. Land on 15, take off on 33. Do not take off on 33. Fly the localizer in as published, and give yourself a much higher personal minimum. Do not circle to 33 in a jet!
Make sure you a FULLY configured to land by the time you reach DBL. Look at the chart!! there is very little room to make any errors, some of these turns are sharp without much room. Winds change very quickly, turbulence can be severe. Like I said, if you don't have substantial experience in the rockies DO NOT GO!
Go arrounds can be deadly! find someone who knows that airport and fly with them.
It's a no joke hard airport to fly in and out off. You can very easily kill yourself if you don't know what you're doing. GJT is just around the corner, so it might be better to go there and drive.
You can PM me if you need more info.
If you choose to go regardless, here are some tips. Land on 15, take off on 33. Do not take off on 33. Fly the localizer in as published, and give yourself a much higher personal minimum. Do not circle to 33 in a jet!
Make sure you a FULLY configured to land by the time you reach DBL. Look at the chart!! there is very little room to make any errors, some of these turns are sharp without much room. Winds change very quickly, turbulence can be severe. Like I said, if you don't have substantial experience in the rockies DO NOT GO!
Go arrounds can be deadly! find someone who knows that airport and fly with them.
It's a no joke hard airport to fly in and out off. You can very easily kill yourself if you don't know what you're doing. GJT is just around the corner, so it might be better to go there and drive.
You can PM me if you need more info.
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
Aspen should be treated with respect but don't let some of these posts scare you. Plan ahead and go in there a few times with someone experienced before you go alone. When the weather is low, we don't go in, plain and simple. Make sure the pax understand the ground rules.
Enjoy it, it's better than flying into TEB or HPN
Enjoy it, it's better than flying into TEB or HPN
#16
take your time set up early be ready by red table . if the weather is bad go to another airport. as long as you set up early and stay ahead of things you will be ok . your a pilot take your time use your head. aspen is hard at time but just take your time and if you can find someone who has been in a few times this will help. I have ben in and out of their for more than 15 years and it is not easy at times weather can change for hour to min . but dont let some of these pilots scare you just make sure take your time . now if you were flying an approch in to QUITO at night with makes aspen like easy then I say make sure your ready. but aspen I say make sure you take your time . have a safe flight .and be ready for the app by DBL .it important.
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2010
Posts: 327
#18
Originally Posted by AKASHA
Its a VFR airport because you're sunk on one engine. You have to see the mountains to avoid them.
Doing it "in anger" would probably take a year off my life, give me more than a couple gray hairs, and require a forced extraction of the seat cushion from my posterior ...but it'll keep you clear of the rocks.
#19
Best of luck with your operation.
Aspen is a very interesting airport to operate to/from. Most of the info others have given you is right on.
Be sure to take your time and have things set up prior the the approach...slow down and don't let Aspen Approach rush you (123.80)...ask for delay verctors if needed. DEN CTR likes to forget to hand you off about 30% of the time and this may result in you being high. If you have any questions about the WX ask the guy you are talking to what is going on (APP, TWR) and ask for PIREPS. They may be changing the ATIS to something completely different and you may or may not be able to get in depending on what it is doing.
When you go in there the first time I whould HIGHLY recommend to give an hour or so and ask the Tower guys for a tour. It will really help explain their operation and visibility markers, traffic seperation requiremnts. TCAS Alerts are a common occurance!
If possible do SIM training there...have the turbulence up and use the Anti-Ice System to get a feel for real life
As far as a missed approach and or Balk Landing...they work...from personal experience. Just make sure you are right on for the timing and you need to know the procedures down cold without hesitation. If you don't like what is going on get out of there (the sooner the better)!!!
I would also recommend you look up the G-III crash up there. You can see how things get bad real quick.
Once you get PM up and running if you have a question just ask.
Aspen is a very interesting airport to operate to/from. Most of the info others have given you is right on.
Be sure to take your time and have things set up prior the the approach...slow down and don't let Aspen Approach rush you (123.80)...ask for delay verctors if needed. DEN CTR likes to forget to hand you off about 30% of the time and this may result in you being high. If you have any questions about the WX ask the guy you are talking to what is going on (APP, TWR) and ask for PIREPS. They may be changing the ATIS to something completely different and you may or may not be able to get in depending on what it is doing.
When you go in there the first time I whould HIGHLY recommend to give an hour or so and ask the Tower guys for a tour. It will really help explain their operation and visibility markers, traffic seperation requiremnts. TCAS Alerts are a common occurance!
If possible do SIM training there...have the turbulence up and use the Anti-Ice System to get a feel for real life
As far as a missed approach and or Balk Landing...they work...from personal experience. Just make sure you are right on for the timing and you need to know the procedures down cold without hesitation. If you don't like what is going on get out of there (the sooner the better)!!!
I would also recommend you look up the G-III crash up there. You can see how things get bad real quick.
Once you get PM up and running if you have a question just ask.
#20
One thing that was only mentioned once is that the departure procedure has a really steep climb gradient. So you can't depart if the weather is below 14k MSL. So be sure whoever owns the Mustang knows ahead of time that you can't depart in bad weather. Or at least it is a really bad idea if you can get away with it legally.
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