“We could not have landed five minutes later when the conditions deteriorated even further with snow and freezing fog.”
With great snow for skiing in the Rockies, we have been frequenting the mountains more than normal. What has been different is the weather. Most of our mountain flying is during the day with VFR weather conditions. Lately, we have had multiple approaches near minimums.
A few weeks back we flew into Montrose, Colorado (KMTJ). The weather conditions were advertised as VMC (Visual Metrological Conditions) just before starting the ILS approach to runway 17. By the time we landed the weather conditions had deteriorated to nearly ILS minimums. We could not have landed five minutes later when the conditions deteriorated even further with snow and freezing fog. Afew days ago, we flew into another beautiful destination at Heber Valley, Utah (KHCR), next to Park City. Weather conditions were starting to come down as we were nearing the airport. The only instrument approach to the airport is the RNAV (GPS)-A that has an MDA (Minimum Descent Altitude) of 8,020 feet MSL (Mean Sea Level) or 2,383 feet AGL (Above Ground Level). The approach requires 3 statute miles visibility. The winds were calm enough to land in either direction on runway 04 or 22. The approach comes in from the North, more loosely aligning with runway 22. We did not pick up or see runway 22 in time to start a descent to that runway, so we circled to runway 04. We could see the mountains closing in on our downwind leg to the runway. The mountains were also becoming obscured by the snowfall as we were turning on our base leg. After one more 90-degree left turn, we were lined up on final approach and made a successful landing on the skinny runway. (This runway looked more like a taxiway than a runway).
Again, just after landing, it started to snow hard. We had a plan to hangar our Challenger Jet that would never come to fruition. After securing the airplane, we drove to our hotel in Park City, just eleven miles away, but nearly an hour’s drive with the snowfall. After a brief but beautiful visit to Park City, we returned to the FBO at Heber Valley the next day. Our airplane had not been hangared as promised. (They could not move our airplane with a tug due to the amount of snow). It was covered with six inches of snow and was blocked from moving by snow on the ramp. It took nearly three hours to plow the snow from around our airplane and then de-ice it with glycol. It took a record 200 gallons of Type I Glycol to de-ice our airplane.
Our third winter wonderland adventure was a flight from Miami Opa Locka Airport (KOPF) to Aspen, Colorado (KASE). It was a four-hour and twenty-minute flight with the winter headwind. The forecast at Aspen predicted the weather to deteriorate at our arrival time. And this time, the weather forecasters were actually correct. The passengers were paying money to go to Aspen. Our preferred backup airport plan, if we could not get into Aspen, was Eagle, Colorado, as we had a revenue flight out of there in two days. The passengers requested that we go to Rifle, Colorado, if we could not get into Aspen. As we neared our destination, the weather at Aspen went below minimums. Rifle would make an easy mountain alternate airport as it is the only one of the three airports serviced with an ILS approach.
Weather was moving in from the West, and the weather at Rifle Airport went below the approach minimums, even for the ILS approach. We then started working on diverting to Eagle Airport, just to the North, where the weather was still good, for the time being. Our routing had us flying nearly over Aspen and I saw some holes in the clouds with occasional ground contact. The Co-Pilot asked ATC if anyone was getting into Aspen. The controller responded “it is your lucky day, the jet ahead of you just got in.” So, after going full circle from our destination being Aspen, Rifle, and Eagle, we were again headed to Aspen. We executed the LOC-DME-E approach to Aspen. A normal instrument approach angle to an airport is 3-degrees, which equates to about a 300 feet descent for each mile. The approach angle to for the Localizer (LOC) approach into Aspen with its mountains is 6.59-degrees or more than double a normal descent angle. The airport elevation is 7,838 feet MSL. The Flight Attendant in the jump seat took a video of the approach. Later, I could hear a couple of excited comments from the Co-Pilot on the video as this was his first time flying into Aspen.
Next, we were to do a repositioning flight without passengers to Eagle Airport, but the weather there went below approach minimums, so we stayed in Aspen. And our flight out of Eagle Airport the following day was reassigned to another crew. We now had a day off to spend in Aspen (actually on standby, but no scheduled revenue flights). But I spent most of it doing pilot stuff such as eLearning for my upcoming survival training (CPR, First Aid, Water, Raft and Fire).
Operations changed our scheduled flights, and two days later, we were headed to Dallas, Texas (KDAL). I did the flight planning using the ForeFlight Application. We planned and received a clearance from ATC to fly the LINDZ 1 Departure off runway 33 at Aspen. It involves a quick right climbing turn to a heading of 343 degrees. After climbing on this heading to 9,100 feet (MSL), a left turn to heading 273 degrees is required till intercepting the 303-degree radial/course to the LINDZ Intersection. We also performed contingency planning for an OEI or One Engine Inoperative, just in case an engine was to fail. Interesting, every time I have done this departure in the flight simulator world, an engine has failed.
Both engines worked during the climb out. The first startle factor for my new-to-Aspen Co-Pilot was that there was another jet on final approach as we departed. The Tower Controller reported the jet’s position at 11 o’clock and directed us to maintain visual separation. The timing was perfect. The jet passed off our left side just before we reached 9,100 feet and had to make our left turn. The second startle factor for both of us was when I called for the Co-Pilot to retract the flaps from the takeoff position of 20 degrees to zero. We received a FLAPS FAIL yellow caution message, and the flaps were stuck at 20 degrees. (Yes, this is my second Flaps Fail within recent history). With the flaps stuck at 20 degrees, we were restricted in both altitude and airspeed. We also could not conduct an enroute flight per the manufacturer’s limitations with any amount of flaps extended. We certainly did not want to turn around and land at Aspen with its mountains and steep approach descent profile, so we advised ATC of the abnormal situation and that we needed to divert to Centennial Airport near Denver. Centennial is just East of the Rocky Mountains’ ridge line, has a slightly lower elevation at 5,885 feet MSL, with a longer runway 17L being 10,001 feet in length. Just what I like when I have a fast approach and landing speed. The next surprise was that we could not just turn East and head to Centennial. The minimum IFR altitude was 16,000 feet, and we were operationally restricted to no higher than 5,500 feet with the flaps out. ATC advised that they needed to route us up near Laramie, Wyoming, and bring us back down on the other side of the mountain ridge. We enjoyed the circuitous routing and the view of the mountains from what is a very low enroute cruise altitude for us. We joined the PINNR 3 RNAV Arrival at the CHOTS Intersection for a landing on runway 17L.
Our passengers were less than ecstatic with this scenic detour and diversion. Company Flight Operations quickly arranged for alternative transportation for them. Local contract maintenance worked on the airplane and got the flaps operational, but they could not find the specific cause of the problem. Lastly, we conducted a ferry flight without passengers to a Bombardier Service Center for a deeper look.
The mountain views and the snow were beautiful. It was a different dynamic managing the weather elements. We had reduced visibilities in flight and during instrument approaches, as well as snow accrual on the ground that delayed our headway. Our crew of three all feel fortunate that we get to visit such wonderful locations and fly jets in the mountains.
