I flew military & airline for 38 years and only recognised a microburst one time. It seemed that the initial outward wind was about 80 knots. If that was on your final approach and you ignored all the evidence, expect a near instantaneous loss of 160 knots of IAS. Unrelated to the loss of speed would be an increase ROD due to the rapidly decending air. Please nobody tell me this is a survivable event! Avoidance is the only reasonable course.
I am also concerned that a few jet pilots out there still don't understand that an indication of impending loss of IAS is when G/S on final is lower than speed calculated using tower reported wind. A moderate shear will show as a G/S perhaps 10 - 15 knots less than the calculated touchdown G/S. This might not be an indication of a microburst. If you expected a G/S of 120 knots and at 500 ft, with a stabilised approach, it is 70 knots, I would call that very significant windshear, probably with worse to come. This could be a MB. All your worries about how your kids will turn out, will your marriage last, will you have a successful retirement, will probably disappear with you, your crew and pax in a smoking hole in the ground short of the runway.
You don't have to actually fly G/S. Just make sure you don't go much below it. If you're not able to force yourself to do this because you were trained to fly IAS, at least keep an eye on it to assist in identification of perilous conditions.
Last edited by autoflight; 8th Dec 2008 at 18:50.