Hello Everyone:

I was having a discussion with a fellow pilot and it turned academic :-) I am interested in knowing what other's would do in the same scenario.

Here's the scenario:

Airplane: Pilatus PC-12NG
Time of Landing: 00:35 Local
Duration of Flight: 04+00 Block
Winds: 130@12 10SM CLR 32/22 2974A
Runway Length: 5304'

VASI on Runway 32 only.

Thanks in advance.

not sure the question. Clear VFR ? Land the airplane on RWY 14

4 hour flight, not 8, correct ?

8 hour day, IFR approach to a circle to 14, at night, different story.

Unless it would be more fun landing with that tailwind. For example: If it would lead to an overhead pattern. Another consideration might be if I was in a hurry to get home. Then I would pick the rwy that got me on the ground the fastest--i.e straight-in from my inbound direction.

Coming home where I was familiar with the field, I'd come around to 14 for the headwind, especially in a jet. In a turboprop, especially in an unfamiliar field, I'd probably take the VASI with the tailwind.

Seems that there have been a lot more accidents with people going off the runway in recent years, it doesn't take a lot of compounding factors with that much tailwind (brake failure, failure to go into beta for whatever reason, floating, etc). If anything, in IMC with a circle it becomes a little more even and dependent on the experience and ability/proficiency of the pilot.

With the avionics that plane has you can make your own glide slope 300 ft a mile keep a nice stable decent and you're 3:1 all the time.

With tailwind components greater than 10 knots, I'll typically land into the wind unless I have no other choice. So runway 14. 12 knots is a pretty stiff tailwind, even for the Pilatus.

Also, if you look at the landing distance performance charts in section 5 of the POH, the charts only go up to 10 knots of tailwind. While not listed as a limitation in section 2, I considered it one since anything above that is uncharted territory and a specific performance can't be guaranteed.

As others say, 12 knots is a lot of tailwind. Plus, the automated WX reporters often fail to report gusts. It could be gusting to 20 and cause an overrun.

Hopefully by the time you start flying a turbine powered aircraft, you have had the opportunity to fly a few approaches with those Mark I eyeballs installed in your head? A visual approach with no guidance (even at night) isn't something that should be making a competent pilot nervous or force them to take a higher level of risk... JMHO.

Knowing what I know about VASIs now - I'm taking RWY 14

USMCFLYR

Note - I totally agree with FlyerJosh on this one about Mark1 Mod0 eyeballs, though I didn't say it with as much authority!