Apart from the bleeding hearts , the tree huggers, those who play the racist game and the amateur pilots ,this has been a reasonably well informed debate...lead of course,as usual, by experienced professional airline pilots!
Anybody who has flown the 36L approach into Kimhae followed by the circling approach for 18R knows that it is a definite "no no"...especially in conditions of reduced vis!
Any professional pilot going there for the first time and looking at the letdown plate with the associated high terrain would give the circling approach a miss! Especially with a ILS to 36L ,or 36R, available.
Having flown the approach many times, albeit from the back of a simulator, I am no longer amazed when we hit the ground...as Air China apparently did!
A previous poster with similar knowledge of the area has stated that unless one had local knowledge then a disaster would surely happen!
Now, doesn't that also say something?
High speed jet transport aircraft should not fly circling approaches! Flogging a 737,767 etc, in min vis, 800 ft or so AGL is a recipe for disaster...and there is usually no need for it!
How many times in your career has that been the only option available to you?
