Mauritius - Difficult Approach?

[Sarah1979]

Hi!
I have not long come back from Mauritius on BA and from the window the scenery on approach looked stunning. There were lots of mountains on one side of the approach and I was just curious as to whether it was a particularly difficult approach as many of these mountains looked higher than the aircraft and also quite close on final approach. Just was wondering what you BA pilots thought of it? And also what you would think is your most, difficult or challenging approach?

Thanks

Sarah

[Hotel Mode]

Its not especially difficult so long as you know the mountains are there! You pick up the ILS on the West coast so its a very accurate approach between the high bits. The difficult bit is the perspective to the runway as it slopes downwards and can result in some "interesting" touchdowns. It would be a tricky place if there wasnt an ILS though.

On the 74 at the moment, probably most challenging on paper is Mexico city, not helped by some language problems. Also some of the US airfields can be made interesting by ATC and the amount of traffic.

Glad you enjoyed it

[Sarah1979]

Thanks very much for the reply! I see now you avoid the mountains!

Sarah

[Justin_85_Hants]

I went their in March with BA, I thought it was brilliant too! I thought the mountains looked close, the runway perspective comment perhaps explains the positive touchdown there! lol

Justin

[Rainboe]

The mountains you see on the approach are not a problem, they are out of the way. They are also far closer and smaller than you probably realised, but off to the side and out of the way (for landing). What is the problem is you land towards the south east, so the approach goes right over the middle of the island (which is always cloud covered- I used to go to school there right in the middle at the highest general land area). As a result, the approach glideslope is quite a lot steeper than normal, and being over high ground, if you are not slow, your closure rate with the terrain could trigger a go-around warning (GPWS it's called). So you have to get the plane slow and descending steeply, and the gradually descending terrain below you on final approach gives the pilot 2 startling optical illusions. He thinks he's low because he's nearer the ground than he should be out on approach, and yet because he's actually on a steeper approach, the shape of the runway (like railway tracks going away into the distance, but sloping away steeply) makes it look at the same time as if he's even lower than he should be. Quite strong feelings, and quite unsettling when you are boring in in a 747 with little time to sort it out knowing because the runway slopes away from you, you have to get it down without delay and decelerate as soon as possible, and not be fooled by the strong misconception that you are really low. Not many smooth landings pulled off there!

Rainboe (ex regular 747 pilot into MRU!)
PS I used to like trying to glimpse the bay immediately by the airport after take-off on the right- le Challand. Used to camp there many times when I were a lad and before there were any beach hotels on the island! (Hotels? There were no tourists! A weekly Air France Constellation, that's all). Now put me back in my box!