I spent the last 20 years of my flying career night-freighting. Despite the unsocial hours, it was bloody good fun when it came to the flying bit of the equation.
There was usually very little traffic at night and ATC were very relaxed. We would get airborne from our hub, check in with Maastricht and be cleared direct to Helsinki or Istanbul.
Going eastbound to somewhere like Hannover or Nurnberg, both of which were advertising the westerly runway on the ATIS, the easterly runway would usually be offered if the winds were light.
This of course was no problem as long as you realised that you were now high on the profile for the new runway and made an IMMEDIATE adjustment so that you could be back on the profile for the new runway by at least 1,500 ft. It has to be said that we knew our airfields well.
So we could just possibly be involved here in a situation where ATC offers a straight-in on to another runway or else the aircraft asked for the same thing.
Suddenly, we are too high (having planned for another runway) but we can hack it. The rate of descent is now higher than it should be for a stabilised approach but the runway is in sight so all is well. Then, the runway lights start to disappear.
Two things can be wrong;
1. The visibility has reduced so that we can't see the lights any more.
2. We are descending at such a rate that the runway lights have gone behind a hill.
I experienced the latter scenario out in the bundu one night in Arabia and luckily survived to tell the tale. I survived.
I suppose what I am trying to say is that only mistakes are made in a hurry.
Last edited by JW411; 20th Aug 2013 at 19:43.