Hi Doug and others who have flown into LGA:
I actually meant to post this a few weeks ago, didn't get to it until now. Earlier last month I flew from Detroit - LGA on my way home from Alaska. It was at night and it was a NWA 757. We landed on runway 31.
On our way in, the pilot said we would be maneuvering for the visual 31. I know from listening to the radio that the approach is called 'expressway visual.' I also know from living here my whole life that the planes usually seem to fly over the Long Island Expressway, then make a turn around Shea Stadium to land.
As I was sitting on the left side of the airplane, I tried to locate the runway as we were coming around the turn. I have excellent night vision, and I could barely see the lights until the last segment of the turn, and I had 'help' with that(I know the area and could pick out the runway to the right of the terminals). My question is this: How do you airline pilots hit the turn almost perfectly every time? And is this really a completely visual approach? Are you following the highway? It would seem that if this were the case you are just puttering around like in a Cessna. What happens if both pilots are doing this approach for the first time? Is it hard? I am not IFR rated yet but, what do your approach plates say? Follow highway?
Ironically as we were pulling into the gate I saw an Airtran come in and it looked like he overshot the turn by a bit cause he(she?) had to correct to the right while over the water. Hope this question is clear!
Louie
I actually meant to post this a few weeks ago, didn't get to it until now. Earlier last month I flew from Detroit - LGA on my way home from Alaska. It was at night and it was a NWA 757. We landed on runway 31.
On our way in, the pilot said we would be maneuvering for the visual 31. I know from listening to the radio that the approach is called 'expressway visual.' I also know from living here my whole life that the planes usually seem to fly over the Long Island Expressway, then make a turn around Shea Stadium to land.
As I was sitting on the left side of the airplane, I tried to locate the runway as we were coming around the turn. I have excellent night vision, and I could barely see the lights until the last segment of the turn, and I had 'help' with that(I know the area and could pick out the runway to the right of the terminals). My question is this: How do you airline pilots hit the turn almost perfectly every time? And is this really a completely visual approach? Are you following the highway? It would seem that if this were the case you are just puttering around like in a Cessna. What happens if both pilots are doing this approach for the first time? Is it hard? I am not IFR rated yet but, what do your approach plates say? Follow highway?
Ironically as we were pulling into the gate I saw an Airtran come in and it looked like he overshot the turn by a bit cause he(she?) had to correct to the right while over the water. Hope this question is clear!
Louie