We leveled off at our cruising altitude of FL250 at 10:22. Even after flying this bird for a while, it still amazes me how fast it gets to altitude. Just 200 pounds short of max takeoff weight, and she's still climbing at over 1,100 feet per minute.

TCAS displayed a single aircraft passing below us while we were still in the climb, but we never saw it, since it was below the cloud tops. For the remainder of the flight, we didn't see a single other aircraft.

As we descended into Agra, the weather was forecast for 1,000 foot ceilings and 2 miles visibility...less than VFR, but the controller assured me that he'd get me down with vectors, so I decided to give it a try. I've landed at uncontrolled airports in very poor visibility before (flying medevac for Bush Flying Unlimited in Alaska), and I figured that with the new GPS and the controller's vectors, we had a good shot at getting down in one piece. In short, I decided to press my luck.

By the time we were down through 10,000 feet again, we were in IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) and I flipped the switches for the ice vanes. I kept one eye on the outside air temperature, though, and as soon as I saw it go above 15 degrees C, I retracted the ice vanes so that I'd have max power available if we had to go around.

Agra Approach passed me off to Tower on the same frequency, and we were cleared "number one for landing", but passing through 1,500 feet, we still had not sighted the field. At 900 feet, I spotted a pair of red lights that I thought might be VASI, but when the runway lights appreared, I realized that the "VASI" lights were the marker lights on top of the control tower...so full power, gear up, flaps up a notch and nose at ten degrees above the horizon, and we called missed approach. I'd started my descent a bit too late and overshot the threshold.

"King Air 18AF, say your intentions," called the tower.

Trimming and setting power for climb, I responded,"We'd like to deviate for weather...intend to continue to Kolkata, will file a clearance in a moment." (I hate having to respond to ATC when I'm busy flying the airplane...my instructor set the priorities this way: Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.)

"King Air 18AF, clearance to Kolkata is not listed as an alternate, weather deviation is denied. Say intentions."

I fumed for a moment, and considered just GOING to Kolkata, without clearance, but being a foreigner in their airspace, I decided that would likely be considered inappropriate (AMERICAN AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN IN INDIA, film at 11), and I meekly requested vectors for another pass at the landing.

Half an hour later, when we sighted the field again at 900 feet, I realized they'd vectored us straight for the tower again, but this time we were low enough to land, and I sidestepped to the runway and managed a decent landing. We shut down at 12:45 local, so accounting for the time change for the new time zone, we logged an hour and forty-six minutes flying.

I headed out to grab a bite for lunch.