Hi Wingswinger,
my point was not intended to be that GS mini would have prevented WAW, just wanted to say how it was done before GS mini (ah, let's ad some 20 knots to Vapp today).
Your point of ops into limiting RWYs is valid, the above posts (especially of whino) didn't carry that remark so it rather sound's to me like some pilots/operators fly windy approaches alsways (irrespective of RWY legnth) in selected speed.
Still I think from an overall point-of-view it would be better to fly GS mini even if the LDG RWY is limiting and pay special attention to touch down on speed near the 1.000 ft point. Normally in strong winds you will have at least a light headwind-component that increases your RWY-perfomance. If you miss yout touch-down-point, you go-around so nothing unsafe there.
By flying selected speed, you deterioate your performance in case of a low-level windshear-encounter. This may not be that much of a problem in an A319 at 55 tons, but let me tell you getting low on energy in an A321 at 75 tons is a whole different story (we fly A319-320-321, don't know about your company).
In the time when we were not allowed to modify the FMS-calculated Vapp in order to be 5 kts above the FAC-calculated Vls there where some very nasty landings in heavy 321s (especially hot and maybe high airfields like MAD, ESB etc), just because even flying Vapp did not give the aircraft enough energy for a 'normal' flare. Imagine now flying 10 knots below Vapp and then perform a Windshear-Recovery...
My manual clearly states, that in case of expected windshear
- use managed speed in approach phase
- use AP and A/THR if practicable
Regards, MAX