Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: Dyce
I flew into Aberdeen airport on Tuesday ( not personally ) in a plank. The weather from Birmingham all the way up past Edinburgh was fine until we reached Dyce.
Hats off to the Pilots ( I know they were flying Instruments) but I couldn't even see the runway lighting when I could just make out Bond in the thick fog. They landed bang on the money with one of the smoothest landings I have ever experienced in a fixed wing.
I was hoping to take a few pics of some Helicopters but alas there were none in sight.
So I went single malt and haggis hunting instead!
Found the single malt and went on an interesting tour
And was later directed to an establishment serving the best haggis by this Gentleman in Edinburgh.
While the weather was frequently poor, approach bans and weather diverts were always a rare occurrence.
It's actually not that complicated: the 'flying pilot' will have the autopilot flying the ILS in either 3- or 4-axes. It does this very well. Nobody will be hand-flying the ILS when there are doubts about the weather, and I am sure that the fixed wing operations will be the same.
If the weather is looking marginal the speed will be reduced when within a few miles of the airport, and all checks will have already been taken care of long before.
At 200 feet, the 'flying pilot' will say to the 'non-flying pilot' (who is looking outside for visual cues) "Decide".
The 'non-flying pilot' will reply either:
1. "Nothing seen, go around" at which point the 'flying pilot' presses the go-around button and again the aircraft's autopilot does all the hard work.
2. "Visual, I have control" at which point the 'non-flying pilot' takes control and visually lands the helicopter. How difficult this is depends upon the cloud base and at what speed the 'flying pilot' hands over the aircraft
(3. Dependent on operations manual. "Continue" which means that visual cues have been identified but the 'non-flying pilot' considers it safer for the 'flying pilot' to continue down to 100ft before swapping roles. Again, this is rarely required).
The flight directors do most of the work, and the operations manuals have already tightly narrowed the scope of what choices the crew have.
Deck landings offshore in marginal weather were certainly more tasking for the crew. The worst thing about bad weather at Dyce was the prospect of spending the night in Dundee
Joined: Mar 29, 2006 Posts: 289 Location: Scotland
Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:51 am Post subject:
The CAA have now dedided that we must remove the "continue" call. Decide has occasionally taken a little longer to say now..... _________________ Generally wrapped in rubber, be it in the air or on the water.
Joined: Mar 29, 2006 Posts: 289 Location: Scotland
Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2011 6:52 am Post subject:
HH.
That's correct. It's just the standard "Visual, I have control" or "Go around".
It's a shame, as the continue call was handy sometimes. Was very rarely used, but handy..... _________________ Generally wrapped in rubber, be it in the air or on the water.
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