Thunderstorms in missed approach path

[Julian Hensey]

Question for you experienced types out there.....

If you have a thunderstorm cell on a pre-defined missed approach path but nothing on the actual approach itself, would it be permissable to go for landing knowing that if you had to do a missed approach you would end up very close to or under an active cell?

The reason I ask is I see major airports have pre defined missed approach procedures, can these be altered suddenly if you actually had to go around to avoid weather, or are they set in stone?

J

[TopBunk]

Julian

Personally

(1) I would tell ATC (it they didn't know) of the CB cell in the go-around track,
(2) I would negotiate with them what I would do in the event of a go-around and what would be acceptable to them, this would obviously be subject to terrain,
(3) If that required an early turn before the threshold, then I would advise them of the need for landing clearance at x nm,
(4) If all of the above agreed I would be prepared to continue the approach and land.

As a rider to all the above, I would consider fuel state and the general weather pattern and the speed of movement of the cells. If delaying the approach for 10-15 minutes would 'solve' the problem, then I would also have that option.

To answer your questions,
'Is it permissable?' YES
'Can the G/A procedures be altered?' YES

HTH

[Rainboe]

This hapened one stormy night going into LHR about 10 years ago. The go-around on 09L east of LHR was too covered in red radar returns to contemplate. We simply asked in the event of a go-around, would it be permissable to carry out an immediate left turn- ATC will happily co-operate or advise another preferential course of action.