Gloomy Tivat

Part 1 of 2

November, 2013

- Guys, I undersood! It's all because of sinful Ksenya. We were together in my previous flight to Ulan-Ude, and unexpectedely landed at the alternate, Chita. And now, it seems that we can go to Belgrade. Ksenya is sinfull, I'm sure.

It's an old pilot joke - if something goes wrong it is due to somebody's sin:

- Ok, girls! Be honest - who sinned yesterday?
- Oops, not me! I slept at home, with a husband!
- Whose husband?

And the atmosphere in the cabin becomes not so stressed though things awaiting us ahead are not trivial... Moreover, this flight was promissed not to be boring from the very beginning.

--==(о)==--

...Before starting my route to the airport I looked on the Web  forecast for Tivat, and 

immidiately disliked it. Strong gusty winds, low clouds with the thunderstorms - everything was there. And the approach - which we could plan - was only from the gulf due to the wind direction. Only "circling approach" which really makes the "pilot craft" to be very "interesting" in such conditions.

Moreover - it's not the case today I could be a pilot flying. My task for the flight is to give a train to the Captain who'd never been in Tivat, the airport which is considerd to be "difficult" in my Company. Just because it is surrounded by the mountains and have that approaches, the pilots in Russia do not fly on a daily basis.

And one "moreover" - I've never flown with this guy in his new Captain status before and really we've met in the cockpit for one or two times several years ago when he was a 737 First Officer. Though I've known him for a long time - since 2005 when he was my Navi on Tu-154.

Anyway there is no chance to hesitate sitting at home while your passengers are checking-in and dreaming of sunny Tivat beaches. So, going to the airport.

--==(о)==--

Moscow weather is also terrible. Year 2013 gave us lots of weather anomalies and seems that this process is still on the way. Unusually it becomes warmer and wormer from one day to another this November, it would be OK, of course, but rainfalls make this picture very dull.

Ariving almost 2 hrs before the time of departure. Going through the security. Seems, that one man have said something rude to the security woman and she is telling others:"Oh my, God, let him rude! It doesn't touch me, I'm for 13 years in this business, I've heard almost everything!".

Passed the medical check. 

Came to the briefing room. 

As usual it is crowded here - some guys are preparing for their flghts, others already have returned from their night duties and now chatting with the mates.

It becomes a big deal not to forget your destination while you're greeting everyone, asking "where are U going to?" or "how was your flight today?"

Where I'm going to? Tivat? 

Ok.

--==(о)==--

All my crew is here - The Captain, young Co-Pilot and me, the Instructor. We've got the docs and now analysing them.



Co-Pilot is interested about his role in the upcoming flight:

- How should we  sit, Denis? Me on the right?

- Sorry, no.. I afraid that I have to fly there on the right to be ready to help the Captain. The weather isn't promissable. The appoach that we are planning isn't simple. So, lets land there and then we would think about how we'll be sat on the returning flight. Is it ok?

Everyone agrees. And I'm joking then: "Heh, its OK for you - you are flying with the instructor today, and who will help the instructor?".

Tivat airfield is not a boring place to fly, I used to write about it in may base blog for many times. I fly to Tivat since 2006, and as a Captain since 2007. And till this time (November,2013) I only once used the runway 14 and made a special circling approach. Jokely it was just after I've made two training flight there with the instructor. Of course, these two flights were made in a very good weather and we used the simple (in comparasion with Rwy 14) approach for Rwy 32.

When you're circling for the runway you have to track your bird visually and have the runway in sight at all times. It is not a big deal when the sky is sunny and winds are calm, but it becomes a great challenge in the worse weather conditions. 

It was a good weather in 2007 when I made my fisrt landing on Rwy 14, but nobody before had told me the cheats how to make this approach easier. So, I've got that cheats exactly after perfoming the first approach by myself.

This approach requires you to follow the special tracks, which are shown on the chart used by the pilot. As I've said, the visual reference to the landing runway must be mantained all the time  after initiatng the circle from the instrument procedure you've used to begin the approach. And you should not descend below the published minimum descent altitude (MDA) until intercepting the final descent path.

Because of the mountains and due to the rules that were applicable in that time, my company established a high MDA there, about 2000 feet over the airfield, though the JAR minima was 1660. There was a misunderstaning between the pilots - when to start the final descent, because usually we do it after turning towards the landing runway, not before. If we do so in Tivat, the pilot will find that he is very close to the runway and very-very high. And then he will need a much greater vertical speed to loose that altitude, and the approach would be really unstable.

Moreover (again!) as the airplane circles from the left the Captain doesn't see the runway untill turning right to it, so he needs a good help from the First Officer. Of course the best way it to let your FO fly that approach, but seems the Captain would better be a pilot flying when you're both doing it for the first time.

In my 2007 case I turned to the field while my FO amazingly looked on the surrounding mountains (which peaks were above our altitude!) instead of telling me whether we are high or low on the approach. And I found that we are VERY hight on it. I set a high vertical speed and heroically landed the aircraft, though really I should cancel the approach and try againg. 

Such approaches make you wiser and raise your experience immidiately. Of course, you should survive to implement your knowledge.

I thought a lot about it, discussed that case with my colleagues, revised the rules and finally found the solutions for airports like Tivat which were published as recommendations and/or procedures.

Nowadays we use to fly to several airports, where such approaches could be executed, and I found that Tivat really isn't the most difficult among them. Chambery is that one :)

--==(o)==--

Lets return to November, 2013. 

As I already became more experienced, as I was 6 years ago as a "green" Captain, the need to fly the circling route doesn't worry me a lot. There are other nuances today - strong gusty winds, CB clouds, flying just below them - all that together will definitely give us a significant turbulence and sheares.

Low clouds and rain would probably decrease our possibility to establish the good visual reference to a runway, and the rain, again, will affect our stopping distance. Taking into account that we should mantain a higher speed than usual, and flaps 30 instead of flaps 40 (due to wind shears) the approach becomes more and more unboring.

The runway isn't short, its 2500m are usually enough, but today it would be a challenge.

There are good chances to go to the alternate today. What about the weather there?

Hm. The closest field at Podgoritza shows the same weather. Belgrade seems OK, but it is more distant.

So, we have a lot of nuances today..

"Hey, everyone! Do you need some nuances? We have them! Special price, total discount!"

--==(o)==--

What could we do here, in Moscow, before the flight to deal with the "nuances"?

First of all - to decrease our planned landing speed. How? By reducing the landing weight. Company planned to take a lot of cheap fuel from here to reduce the amount we need to buy in Montenegro. So, we could throw it away now - and take only the fuel which is needed to get to Tivat and to fly to the distant alternate if the approach attempt is unlucky.

It will increase the cost for the flight, of course, but safety must be first, you know. Managers know it, too, so nobody would tell us we made a wrong decision.

And that is all we could do while sitting here. So, there is no reason to stay in the briefing room  and delay our adventure anymore.

Lets go, Guys!

--==(о)==--

Our QD is waiting us at Gate 18. QD - it is the tail number, VP-BQD.

Going through the gate labirints











We came to the airplane and found that we were awaited. Ksenya, our Purser, made a mysterious face and whispered:

- There are inspectors from the Transport Oversight Agency onboard!

Heh, one more nuance today. Nobody loves the inspectors, especially if the flight is going to depart in 45 minutes. Lucky, today we are 3, so I sent the guys to prepare the cockpit and took the TAO on my own.

Recently such inspections became very common. As a guy, who make the "propaganda" about safety and rules following, I always say that the checks must take place because if they would found something that we've missed it will help us to become better.

But according to that rules they could start the inspection only after the Captain comes on board. In our case they got into the airplane before us, without asking us and it is wrong. I came to the cabin and saw two men looking the papers which they definitely took from the cockpit. Totally illegal from my point of view!

Moreover I do not see any IDs on them. Seems interesting.

- Sorry, men. Could you show you inspector's IDs, please?

- What?..
- Your passes, your ID cards. As you know we aren't allowed to let anybody to enter the plane without the ID.
- Who are you?
- Who am I? I am the Checker. The flight instructor. The examiner. I am responsible for checking the rule following on that aircraft today. I do not see your ID cards, please show them or I have to call the security.

One of them made the angry face, but started to look for something in his bag. And then showed me... a "Check order" and a passport. That suprised me greately - for the first time somebody named as "inspector" tried to enter my aircraft with such a civil document!

I went to the security men. Asked them - what these guys are doing on board of my aircraft without legal IDs and what way did they get here? They shyly told me that let them pass after they've said they were from TOA and showed the Check Order and passports.

Ok, I made a note in my mind to ask my company specialist about that case - is it legal for TOA to come to the airplane without the crew and without any ID with them?

Returning to the inspectors:

- You should know that we must see your IDs. It is a requirement here and I never heard about anybody whom this rule doesn't refer to. For example, in Munich local inspectors use to verify our attention - they come on board themselves or send ground guys without IDs just to see how we are checking the people. 

The men still wear strict faces:

- What is you name?
- Denis Okan. What is the reason to ask?
- We are checking you... We are looking for your failurs and mistakes, your are looking for ours. May be we did wrong, so we will definitely report that you required ID during our inspection.

Of course, later our specialist got my report and found they were illegal to get to the plane without IDs and before the crew. We sent the note to TOA.

--==(о)==--

Ok, they leaved us, lets continue our preps. As procedures are completed I have a time to take some pictures.



Transaero "Three tomahawks" (B777) is on the final.







Landed on a fire track. Lol!



Smoke is still in the air though 777 is already vacated the Rwy.



Tails.



More tails



Boarding is completed. Ksenya enters the cockpit to take the papers for a change, 9 passengers were somewhere lost. Heh. Jokely it would be helpfull today - its all about the landing weight, as you remember.

- Captain, these passengers in the rear...

Ksenya looks disappointed

- Whats happened?

- They are on a row 28, and the compartments above are full, there isn't any place for their luggage. I tried to locate it on row 20, but they refused, they rudely said that they will never do it even if the Captain commands to do so. They cry that it is our fault, they are going to write a claim...

- Ok, let them write a claim. Please, tell them that they behave against the rules and if they wouldn't take the compromise I will have to refuse them in flying with us today.

Sadly, it is a typical situation. Passengers take huge bags into the cabin and when the flight is full it is difficult to locate it in the corpartments above the seats. Usually nobody argues when the flight attendant puts it in a different location, but sometimes they face such persons, who aren't in a good mood and start blaming others. They are enjoying the conflict even not realizing that the crew has all the rights to refuse to carry them. And sometime we have to disembark such conflicters.

Spending another 15 minutes to solve that problem. Slava, our Captain, made an announcement for the passengers and clearely hinted that if the conflict continues we will have to part with that passengers. 

Ksenya returns to the cockpit:

- They are still rude, they demand the Captain to come!..
- Ok, Ksenya. Tell them, please, that they have only five minutes. If during that period they don't calm down they would be taken away. 

Seems, that it made an effect because in five minutes Ksenya returned to report that she placed the luggage over 20th row and the cabin is ready now.

So, the question. What was this circus for? To make a delay, to feel themselves as a superior? What does this "superiority" stand for if you could be taken away for it? What is happening in the minds of such people?

--==(о)==--

...Started. Taxiing out.

What a strange bird with the "censored' name?:)



Definetely she was "Transaero" in her previous life.



Finally we depart from a rainy Moscow to a rainy Europe. What is waiting us in Tivat?

--==(o)==--

- Guys, my congratulations!

Looking for the weather which I've just recievd from the ACARS.

- Winds in Tivat: 16 gust to 31 knots! Few tower cumulus clouds at 1600 feet, broken at 2600. The same shit in Podgoritza plus thunderstorm with rain.

Really these news are not optimistic. If you face such a weather when landing on a routine runway equipped with an ILS (instrument landing system) such as in my native Barnaul or Domodedovo then it will only add some nerves with awaiting upcoming turbulence and wind shears. But if you are going to land on runway which is hidden in the mountains and the only approach you could execute is circling of visual - it is much more difficult!

More unboring.

My collegues who were more heroes than me use to say that "There isn't anything to do when the thunderstorm is over Tivat". And I have no willings to check that saying by myself as they did.

Looking for Belgrade weather. Oh, good knews! Though wind is strong, but no gusts reported. Clouds are high, visibility is OK. No thunderstorms.

So while there is a time, I prepare paper charts for Podgoritza and Belgrade, realizing that chances are "50x50" at this moment - we will land in Tivat or go to alternate.

I was in Podgoritza once but never been in Belgrade before. Studiing the charts - airport seems to be routine with a long runway. So, if we face the need to go to Belgrade - it will not be a great deal.





Next half-hour weather report from Tivat "pleased" us with the thunderstorm rain and decreased visibility. The same in Podgoritza. Definetely the front goes through that two airports.

While there is a time, I leave the cockpit - if we would face with "the circumstances" then there wouldn't be the time to satisfy my organizm's requirements. Did it and told the Purset that there is a possibility to fly a little bit longer than we wish. Moreover, we have a chance to get familiar with the new destination which is out of GloBus web.

Returning to the cockpit:

- Guys, I undersood! It's all because of sinful Ksenya. We were together in my previous flight to Ulan-Ude, and unexpectedely landed at the alternate, Chita. And now, it seems that we can go to Belgrade. Ksenya is sinfull, I'm sure.
...

--==(о)==--

But.

There is a place to believe that the weather could slightly improve while we reach Tivat. And we are fully prepared to go to Belgrade if it's not. There isn't any reason to divert right now - we still have another hour to fly to the destination and everything could change. And somwhere in my mind I feel distrust that there is a great thunderstorm over the field. Its not the season for it! Yes, there will be the showers but not the squalls, tornados and all that everything you could meet in a Real Thunderstorm.

Anyway we will dive into our weather radar display comparing its picture with the ground layer - to separate flies from the cutlets to cut the radar ground returns from those of the clouds.

--==(o)==--

There are two options for circling for Rwy 14 in Tivat. I showed one of them below, which starts from the TAZ beacon. Also, there is another one - to fly into the valley and to start circling from 3 nm of the DME (the special radio aid wich mesuaes the disctance of an airplane from its known ground position).



Each variant will once lead you to one point which is located at 4.0 nm from DME. The same point but the second approach option differs greately from the first by the minimum altitude on which it could be executed.

MDA of the first one is 1660 though the second states 2040. Just because of the mountains in the beginning of the second option which starts in the mountain gorge. So, you will not be able to start descent below MDA until you intercept the final path and could mantain visual reference and required clearance from the obstacles.

With the respect of the reported cloud base the second option doesn't seem to be suitable for us. MDA is 2040 and clouds being reported - at 1600. No matter that report says they are "few" - they may become a problem anyway.

The second idea of using the first option is that it is flown over the sea, so in a worst case there will be a place for maneuever.

The only one "nuance" in the first option is that after passing TAZ at 2300  feet (as prescribed on the chart) the pilot would want to immediately descent to MDA of 1660. But there is a peak of 1392 feet on the way... Taking into account a worse visibility, winds, and turbulence it seems to be an unsafe decision, the better way would be to delay the descent for a minute and then do it with no more than 600 feet per minute. It definetely would be OK.

I told all that considerations to my crew. Caught myself that I am doing it so confidently as I am flying this approach twice a week or more. Though I am not, of course.

Slava shows his interest:

- And... What if the ATC will clear us the second option? 
- Then we will request to make the first.
- Will he clear?
- Sure

--==(о)==--

Started the descent. Beaming the surroundings, looking for thunderstorm cells. But at this moment I see nothing serious - only green rain returns, which are somewhere yellow but not red.

But if there are no reds at this moment it doesn't mean they wouldn't appear as we descend below. We are higher than 10 km now and in this year period CBs usually gather on a lower altitudes, though they wouldn't be as strong as in summer.

But still you have to take them into account.

At 13000 feet we entered the shower which filled the cockpit by the noise. Radar told us that we should take slightly left to avoid a local cell, but still nothing to afraid. Switched the APU (auxilliary power unit - a small engine that could provide electricity or the bleed air to start the engines if they failed) as it is requred by the procedure.

It becomes very bumpy time to time. Passing one shower and another. Slightly change the heading and continue into the clouds. But still no ground in sight. Desceding further, scaning the vicinity...

Bump! Bump!

Oops.

Flying.

Interesting - what these people on 28 row are thinking about at this moment?

--==(о)==--

Finally, after we've totally showered the bird we reached 5000 feet. We are exactly over the see and it is much more pleasant here.

-  Ok, we did pass through almost of it. Seems there are no storms over there and we could believe that the weather over Tivat isn't worser than it is here. 

Heading to TAZ. Changing the frequency - now we are on-line with Tivat Tower...

Gloomy mountains appear ahead...

What is waiting us in the close future?..

To be continued....

A video from one of the flights to Tivat

One more

FLY SAFE!