"Black hole" approach - a misnomer

[FGD135]

I have noticed that the expression "black hole", in relation to night approaches, is in widespread misuse.

The term DOES relate to a particular night approach illusion, but it seems everybody is using it to describe places with minimal surface lighting.

These are two completely different effects.

The traditional "black hole" illusion came from a situation where, ironically, there was extensive ground lighting around the aerodrome, but none immediately surrounding the runway/aerodrome - hence the appearance of descending down into a "black hole".

The effect that people are really talking about when they use the term "black hole" these days, however, is that where there is little or no surface lighting for a great distance around the aerodrome.

So, under the traditional definition of black hole there is extensive lighting surrounding the runway/aerodrome.

But under the modern, dumbed-down definition, there is little or none!

Why the dumbing down? Because pilots are happy to engage in it - or were never aware of the traditional meaning "black hole". And I guess that "devoid of extensive surface lighting" doesn't roll off the tongue or make you sound quite as hot-shot as does the term "black hole".

Don't call it a "black hole" you clowns, just call it "dark". That is even easier to say and describes the situation and expected illusions perfectly.

[Jabawocky]

I call it "as dark as the inside of a black cow"

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

....... and the point of the OP is ????

Dr :8

[The Green Goblin]

Because pilots are analy retentive and love asking questions like this in checks.

They then get to wave the pork sword and exclaim "mine is bigger" :p

Not working for Rex now are we my old buddy :O

Interesting topic though.

[Arm out the window]

Steady on there, mate.

I'm sure many of us are well aware of the so-called black hole illusion where the changing apparent angle subtended in the eye of a patch of ground lighting fools you into undershooting.

On the other hand, the great majority of us would no doubt be fine with it if someone said "I went flying last night, and it was so black I felt like I was descending into a bloody great black hole."

This isn't a great basis on which to start generalising about the dumbing-down of young 'uns these days, or whatever barrow you're pushing.

"Black as the inside of a nun's ****" is one of the accepted terms, I believe.

[Howard Hughes]

What does it really matter, so long as people are paying adequate attention to difficult night approaches?:ok:

PS: I always thought 'black hole' approaches were airports with extensive lighting at one end and the proverbial 'black hole' at the other, Cootamundra springs to mind for me, but I could be wrong.;)
"Black as the inside of a nun's ****" is one of the accepted terms, I believe.
One of my faves!:E

[bentleg]

I always thought 'black hole' approaches were airports with extensive lighting at one end and the proverbial 'black hole' at the other, Cootamundra springs to mind for me


For me no lighting, like Goulburn, when you have the town lights behind you.

[Checkboard]

Apart from placing a rant on a forum for no particular reason, the OP is wrong in their statement.

A "Black Hole approach" is an approach path which is over the "black hole" (not the airport) - any featureless terrain counts (calm water/snow/unlit etc).

The illusion occurs as a pilot overflying an airport perceives an increase in apparent size and a decrease in visual angle. A pilot descending very short of an airport perceives a decrease in apparent size and an increase in visual angle. The two effects cancel each other out, tricking the pilot into perceiving a straight glide path while actually descending on an arc which drops below the normal approach path ending in a low (sometimes fatally low) approach.

The Black Hole Approach - pdf (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&sqi=2&ved=0CD0QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smartcockpit.com%2Fdata%2Fpdfs%2Fflight ops%2Fhumanfactors%2FThe_Black_Hole_Approach.pdf&ei=5axhT4q_O8qg8gODvoGHCA&usg=AFQjCNFyqi_yAXtEDsClQ6ER0HSnzlTjbQ)

[zlin77]

Sounds like the approach into Grafton N.S.W. in The Old East-West F27..very little ground reference lighting when landing to The South..

[Pilotette]

What's the correct name for a night approach to a 1200m strip with nothing but a pub next to it in the middle of nowhere?
I generally just call it a looong day...:ok:

[Jabawocky]

That would be thirsty work indeed, Ms Pilot:ok:

You have a few such strips in your patch, some may be longer, but most involve pubs. You are not just good looking....pretty smart too!

PS thanks for the pirep the other day, passed the info on and it helped them out no end.

[Horatio Leafblower]

I think that's called "Tilpa".

[Pilotette]

Very true...I promise I'm working, not just pub crawling!:p
No dramas, glad I could help!

[compressor stall]

Wish more of the strips I went to in the middle of the night had a pub next to them. Runway lights would have been good too... but would have preferred the pub. :ok:

And I'm still scratching my head as to how an approach on a night as dark as a proctologist's workspace into Eucla or Jamieson is dumbed down?

Anyway, I've got the opposite problem nowadays....

[Horatio Leafblower]

You have a few such strips in your patch, some may be longer, but most involve pubs.

Pilotette, can I please have a look at your "patch"? Sounds fascinating! :eek:

[Pilotette]

Hmmm yes :}
Well if you hit Direct To - GAFA in your 530, you will come close enough!

[Ultralights]

think of it litterally, its black, no lighting, and its usually a hole, the destination.

[aroa]

Best definition I have ever read was in an hilarious article by a US Navy helicopter pilot doing a midnight sonar dip in the heaving north atlantic.
Big swells, low cloud, rain, blustery wind...and VERY dark.
Settling down into the dip height hover the rpm of the old piston S 58 shook the panel so hard everything became unreadable, and at the crucial moment he got the leans and disorientation and had to shout for his co-pilot to take over, until the sensation passed. Hairy stuff at dot feet.

How dark was dark? He suggested to find out...you dig a hole at night, get someone to put a blindfold on, get into that hole and lie down, get that person to fill in the hole....THAT's how dark it was. DARK dark!! :eek:

Wish I had kept a copy. Apart from the funny quips, sure gave a graphic insight to the sort of flying them folks did to keep the world commie free, etc. and whatever.
But they sure put their ar$e on the line.! :D

[Howard Hughes]

sure gave a graphic insight to the sort of flying them folks did to keep the world commie free,
Some would argue that they didn't, but that's for another thread.;)

[Capt Fathom]

Don't call it a "black hole" you clowns, just call it "dark"

Does it really matter!

From here on known as the "dark hole approach", so as to not upset the 'black hole' experts!

FFS! :ugh:

[aroa]

HH ...right. definitely another thread.
That was the US take on the world, right or wrong, in those days.
Us Australians as I remember in the 50s and 60s werent as seriously brain washed about the 'commie menace' as the yank citizenry. I think it has something to do with 'how else do you get Govt's to spend sh*tloads of dollars on defence industries... which are super-profitable
Turned out finally to be who outspent whom, and went broke first.
Certainly a less disasterous outcome.
Neverless, some of those military chaps, did as ordered with great testicular fortitude imho.
The author makes some funny comments about how certain pilots became very scarce from the 'ready room' when such a mission looked likely on such a DARK and ****ty night.

Back to the approach hole.

[kellykelpie]

So what if I use the term "black hole" to describe a night approach into a remote airfield (e.g. Leamonth) when talking to others. Since when is the English language your property? As for the clown remark, you obviously have a very high opinion of yourself - no wonder the rest of the world calls us Oztronauts...

[Unusual-Attitude]

Also referred to as being 'as black as a witches tits'.

[PPRuNeUser0161]

OK bushies cant use "Black Hole" anymore, COOL! I always preferred the term "abyss".

Yes thats it, i was descending into the ABYSS! Thats no lights anywhere other than the 910M flare lit dirt RWY.

SN

[compressor stall]

Careful mate, or you'll have the OP saying that you are using a submariner's terminology that should only be exclusively used for Mariana Trench submersibles. :rolleyes:

[triton140]

My favourite definition of dark was Capt Eric Moody, BA Flight 9 which ran into volcanic ash over Indonesia.

"Give us a quote about what it was like to land on a dark night with no forward vision" he was once asked.. "It was a bit like negotiating one's way up a badger's ar$e".

[Towering Q]

"It was a bit like negotiating one's way up a badger's ar$e".

Obviously something the Britts have experience with.....:}