An interesting head camera video from a pilot flying a new instrument approach into Queenstown, New Zealand. A straight-in approach like this without the nearby mountains is not unusual, but a double-curved one like this through clouds with nearby terrain used to be something countries would not even publish, let alone authorize. The key here is development of GPS technologies.

This flick has gone viral among aviators. It's worth viewing.

You must have total faith your instruments and yourself to properly fly this approach.

http://www.chonday.com/Videos/pilotnewzdalnd1

That's an awfully long 45 seconds in IFR! (2:45 to about 3:15). Especially considering what you were looking at before entering the clouds.

What did my instructor say? Trust your instruments!

Big Brass Ones!

I've got 2000+ hours in singles and multi. I'd have to ride the right seat more than a few times before shooting an IFR approach there.

I wanted to go around at 2:49 when he was descending into the skag with cumulus granite directly ahead.

I used to fly into Pangnirtung, Nunavut on Baffin Island. Basically a sea level narrow river town in the high arctic between 2 mountain ranges with a third behind the runway for good measure. If you couldn't see the runway when you entered the mouth of the river it was a missed approach. You couldn't overshoot once you started the approach or do a steep turn fast enough to miss the sides. And some fool decided to put a runway there as the only link to the outside would for that town.

Any of you guys ever shot the DME Arc to the VOR approach landing north in Jackson Hole Wyoming?

Dear God, I do love it so. Thanks Doug!
Reminds me a little of the approach to Juneau.