PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Airbus groundspeed mini & unstable approaches
Old 1st Jun 2012, 00:03
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Ajax
 
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Airbus groundspeed mini & unstable approaches

Scenario to ponder ...

Flying into airfield "A" on a gusty day. Steady headwind of 25 knots at 1000', which turns to zero passing through about 400' on final. The G/S mini function soaks up the wind shift, aircraft maintains the magenta speed target and aircraft touches down at VAPP without recording an exceedance.

Flying into airfield "B" also on a gusty day, with a 15 kt tailwind at 1000', which rapidly turns into a 10 kt headwind at 400'. Aircraft records a momentary speed fluctuation of up to VAPP +25 before it settles down again. Still touches down at VAPP.

Company does nothing to pilot "A", and kicks ass of pilot "B" because a speed variation of +25 was observed on short final.

Question is then, is one an unstable approach and not the other? Should pilot "B" go around and not pilot "A"? From a P of F point of view, isn't it more dangerous to be flying into the decreasing headwind than the increasing headwind?
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