Here's a question for you more experienced rotary types, whether private or commercial...
I write as a PPL(H) with about 120 hours on the R22. In my perambulations around SE England, I have been given a few weird and wonderful approach and departure directions to/from various airfields. One of my first ever post-PPL solo trips presented me with a completely downwind approach into a grass field that left me wishing I'd been more authoritative and refused it. These days, a couple of years down the line, if I am given an approach that puts me in what I consider to be an unsafe situation, I decline and ask to join the circuit instead (or request it at the briefing stage over the phone, which I've found often works). I'm not sure whether this is done to keep helis away from the fixed wing circuits, due to differences in speed and climb/descent angles, or to allow helicopters quicker approaches or departures from the field.
Just recently I have watched helicopters at a number of airports carrying out downwind departures and arrivals. So, the question is, am I over reacting and should I accept out-of-wind ops, or am I right to request a change? And have any more of you inexperienced types found the same thing?
What are your opinions folks?
DBChopper
