Originally Posted by
Dogma
Thanks for the thoughtful replies. The consensus seems to be that its a very bad idea, not least because its not an IFR Procedure and subject to screw-up over some unforgiving terrain.
I care to disagree. The replies are not thoughtful, and it is not a very bad idea. We also do not know what happened, where it happened, at what altitude it happened. Neither why you came here, nor what you came here for.
To start, "A 360 over unforgiving terrain" is the same as any other curved turn over unforgiving terrain or any straight leg over an unforgiving terrain, or any other trajectory over any terrain, or any other trajectory over no terrain at all. You can smash an aeroplane into near-atomic pieces impacting the water surface too (Gulf Air, Armavia). Which sort of terrain is forgiving, by the way? (rhetorical).
As long as you remain above it, preferably observing the procedural IFR MOCs, it is perfectly safe. Same for the "even during the night", IFR rules, what's the difference?
The second example would be: what's wrong with 360 turn from 11000' to 7000' while you are cleared to 6000 anyways by ATC who approves it? MRVA is 5600, and you are physically over the charted race-track / reversal loop / holding pattern in VMC?
Too many people came here to witness the hanging.
The CAVOK was so severe recently over there that the last week I challenged my colleague if we should ask for a visual, passing EVKUS (downwind fix LTFE 28R). He could see the apron lights so clearly, he fell for it and keyed the mike. From FL220 going to RHO.
