Quote from jose 4499:
Iberia´s Operations Manual is very clear about operating in Bilbao, is absolutelly forbiden to iniciate an approach while south winds components of 15 knots...
That day on runway 12 was windy, from the east-south-east 25 knots gusty 35, but wind changed suddenly to south 70 knots!, nothing to do in that conditions... just fly away to Vitoria.
[Unquote]
kispo (post#25) supplied us with the following METARS, apparently relating to the day in question:
LEBB 151300Z 20019G33KT 150V240 CAVOK 16/05 Q1005 NOSIG=
LEBB 151330Z 20020G37KT 140V250 CAVOK 16/05 Q1005 NOSIG=
LEBB 151400Z 20023G38KT 160V240 CAVOK 17/05 Q1005 NOSIG=
LEBB 151430Z 20029G45KT 170V260 CAVOK 17/05 Q1004 NOSIG=
LEBB 151500Z 21027G48KT 140V260 CAVOK 17/05 Q1003 NOSIG=
LEBB 151530Z 20026G42KT 160V230 CAVOK 17/04 Q1003 NOSIG=
My understanding is that the pictures were taken at 1515 CET, 1415Z.
The 1430 METAR would report the highest gust since the previous report, i.e., 45 kts. So I doubt the surface W/V gusted to 70 kts either before. or after, the approach we are discussing.
That is not to say that the wind at, say, 1000ft might not have reached 70 kts.
The turbulence, predictable wind-shear, and frequent surface gusts of 40 - 45 kts - straight across the runway, would be quite enough to persuade most older guys to divert to a more suitable aerodrome, if available.
But we don't know precisely the conditions when the approach was started. By the way, was it a 321, or a 320?