Originally Posted by
snowed
I recently flew to MMH for the first time and have a few questions to satisfy my curiosity as the UA flight cancels more often than the Alaska one. FYI, Mammoth Lakes on the eastern side of the Sierra and most of you have flown over it countless times on the way back to SFO from the East.
- UA flies the CRJ into MMH, Alaska flies the Q400. Do these planes have different minimums? Or are minimums the same for both?
There is only one approach into this airport, and it's got very high minimums. That said, since the Q400 is a turboprop, it's able to go (much) slower than the CRJ-700, and thus is able to take advantage of visibility minimums that are 1/2 that required for the the CRJ (1 1/2, and 3 miles, respectively,) which I think is rather unfair given that the difference between the Q400's category and the lowest speed category is only 1/4 mile.
Originally Posted by
snowed
- Does the route have anything to do with the issues on the SFO-MMH-SFO run? Specifically does the mountain wave coming down the Sierras affect the UA flight more as it is flown west to east directly over the crest?
The route of the approach has zero to do with it, as both planes fly the exact same approach, starting from the same entry point.
Originally Posted by
snowed
- Based on the highly variable weather at MMH, do you think this could ever become a reliable flight? Would a bisecting runway at MMH help?
Thank you for your insights.
An ILS is the best choice, but given the terrain, it's not possible without doing something similar to the Checkerboard approach at Kai-Tak. If the feds ever get around to it and approve a RNP approach, then Horizon could take advantage of it, and enjoy lower minimums.
As for an intersecting runway, not likely as the mountains are too close, and there is a ridge that runs right north of the airport property.