Most Puckered Instrument Approach
 

What was yours ?

Mine - 1976 USAF Academy Aero Commander fixed card ADF approach (suction powered instruments) into Colorado Springs during a blinding snow storm. :eek:

'Twas a dark and (snow)stormy night.

I was doing instrument instruction in a Cessna 172 at IAG. The student wanted actual, and could only come after 5 PM, which is after dark in December in the Buffalo area. We were practicing holding at the ADF at 4,000' when the ILS went down. This put the field below minimums, but KBUF was only 5 minutes away, with better weather and a good ILS, and IAG said that the ILS should be back up shortly.

Then the engine broke. Not died, not quit, not failed: Broke, with loud metallic banging and grinding noises and serious vibration.

The no-engine no gyro ADF approach really got my heart pounding.

Joe

Every night to USS Aircraft Carrier.

Co-Sign +1

Concur though I had a day time CASE III off the coast of Vietnam in which I didn't visually picked up the ship until inside a half mile, maybe less...Paddles said keep it coming afterall, they had me turn my taxi light on. That was a nasty thunderstorm.

What he said.

Did your student continue and get the IR? Continue flying?

Great stories everyone - I'm glad I cannot compete in this thread!

Can't beat a carrier, but two SCAs and one MLS attempt into K2, Uzbekistan with USOCCOM on board, a two star, and two one stars, plus the 16 OG/CC and assorted execs and security. This was early 2002, was pretty much out of ideas. Ended up diverting to Dushanbe. Blessing in disguise cause my crew got their first beds, real meals, and showers in two months. Also first time I had looked in a real mirror in two months - was 20 lbs lighter than I was on 9/11. The three CCT guys I picked up in Bagram were pretty happy, too. Not the scariest approach I've flown, but probably one of the most interesting!

BTW, flew general Holland again several months later around theater. First RON was Qatar. The next morning's first leg was a short one. Flight engineer and nav both threw up on final, it took a Herculean effort for me not to do the same. The General was in the left seat at the time! We had a five hour delay and he showed back up to the plane and said "Looks like a totally different crew than I had this morning!"

single engine ILS to minnies in a DC3 freighter into Clarksburg,West Virginia after my no 1 engine explosively ate a jug. Everything else in range was below minimums, and freezing rain was getting ready to move into the area. It wasn't a trap, but it had my full attention.

Not a carrier landing, but did a couple of tactical approaches in a KC10 in Afghanistan to fields that required defensive systems, day time, mountainous terrain, 100+ temps, high altitude, 1 four star and 32 one stars onboard. Just inside a mile from the field, we hit our target glideslope and Vref. I looked down and noticed the TAS was 184 knots, it felt like a Space Shuttle approach. Thank God I started the flare at 100 feet AGL or I would have broke the damn thing in half.

Speaking of carrier approaches, one of the best carrier landing visuals I've seen in video comes from the Navy Pump It Video ... reference 4mins 14sec.

YouTube - Navy Carrier Squadron "Pump It"