A little go-around assurance

[beefhole]

After a particularily fateful flight into St. Louis, I just wanted to make sure that when you say that you have missed an approach, but say nothing about flying the PMAP, ATC will eventually vector you to final.

I was low on fuel do to a short flight an unexpected headwind strength. Winds gusting to 35 in St. Louis, I was an idiot and didn't go visual (this happened like 4 months ago, before I learned ILS can't handle a xwind), missed the runway and declared a missed approach. ATC proceeded to give me a vector that appeared to be setting me up on the downwind. Never did get that second vector. Ran out of fuel and into the forest I went. Fun.

So, from your experience, ATC does eventually give you a vector right? And btw, while we're at it, if you say you're flying the published, what do you do? Does ATC just let you vector yourself or what (I know what you do in real life, was wondering about fs)?

[Skligmund]

I've learned to compinsate for the wind on ILS. If you notice you drift, adjust your heading until it stops drifting, and keep adjusting, the winds usually slow down the lower you go. I did an ILS landing in Ketchikan once (never had been there) in the dark, and vis was about 1/2 mile, maybe 1/4 with the precip, ceiling 100ish. Winds were about 25 knots from my 2 O'Clock position, moderate turbulence.

Let's just say I greased the landing, even though I didn't see the runway beyond the missed approach point. RVR was definently very low. I felt that this landing would be safer than trying to find another airport within range that had either better weather, or an ILS system also.

[beefhole]

Thanks skli, but I know that. And in my experience, ILS can only handle a xwind up to a certain speed. Why? You can't corrrect with ailerons, APP is on, so you have to do it with rudder. The more you try to add rudder and keep the nose on the glideslope, the more the plane fights you and turns the other way, trying to counter the rudder input. Therefore, the only way that I've found to make a x-wind ILS landing is to disengage AP some 10 secs before touchdown and hand-fly her in. This is why I never land when there's bad visibility AND a bad xwind. Now, about the missed approach thing?

[mark_av]

I recently went missed, and ATC did vector me back around for another attempt, although the airport I was landing at didn't have ILS so I was having to land visually (the conditions were not VMC, but that's the fun of a simulation!)  

[MattNW]

Yep, they'll get you back around. I've done missed approaches many times but they will first give you the grand tour before doing so.  ;D


Skligmund

Don'cha just love Ketchikan? I've seen every weather condition possible flying into there using real weather and often it was all at the same time (rain, snow, fog, wind and icing).