If you have the Google Earth plugin (or want to install it) you can see the approach to Runway 29 he

http://www.aircraft.io/airport/W22/

(Click on Advanced Settings to configure 3 miles out with a 1.5 degree slope).

The airport is up on a mesa, so if the pilot was 400 ft AGL 3 miles out, that may have been even lower relative to the runway.

AM

On Wednesday, January 29, 2014 4:05:46 PM UTC-6, Steve Leonard wrote:
On Wednesday, January 29, 2014 3:12:34 PM UTC-6, wrote:

400 feet three miles out. On a 3 degree glidslope? I doubt it. 400' is more like a 1/4mile final.



400 feet altitude, 3 degree glide slope is 1.44 miles out. But, why would you set half flap when still 5 miles out? Don't have any Cirrus time, so I don't know what they teach you for that plane. But, at 100 knots, and 5 miles, you have got time to do several things. Not really in danger of overflying the airport unless really high. And since he was well below glideslope at 3 miles, well, he wasn't any too high on his approach...



The one in France, I assume he flew through the valley and not over the mountains. So, he should have had good altitude and time to think. Unclear as to altitude of pulling the chute.



Steve