Approach Pirep

5/22/10

Aspen has one way in and one way out.  BIG Mountains all around especially around 3 sides.  Be aware that if you go all the way to the Missed Approach Point before seeing the airport you will have a hard time landing.   At this point you are still 2000 feet or so up above the airport and you are at 7500 ft or so elevation (longer landing distance).  You would have to dive down to land.  Obviously the bigger the plane you are in the harder this gets.  To error on the side of safety you might want to think about making your own personal Missed Approach Point sometime earlier.  I know some pilots who will go missed if they haven't seen the runway here by the Final Approach Fix.   This way if you haven't seen the airport by this new point you are already higher and can climb until you get to the published missed and then do the missed approach procedure.  

5/22/10

Such a beautiful approach on a nice VFR day!!!   Mountains are spectacular!