I don’t do SAR but I find it very hard to believe that flight in mountains in fog is authorised but maybe I am wrong.
I showed you the statement from CAP 999.
Still banging on about HEMS - it isn't relevant!
No-one has suggested they were authorised to hover taxy in cloud - such an auth doesn't exist in JHC.
All the ideas about turning round or landing are good -BUT what if you can't?
If you have been caught out by a local deterioration in weather that wasn't forecast, don't have the fuel to divert (and there isn't any for miles up there anyway), the weather (and again fuel) preclude a pullup to IFR, you cant' land because the terrain is unsuitable, there may be some operational pressures to contend with and many other considerations that can't be discussed here - what do you do?
The crew will have added to their experience - as evalu8ter points out, most of us have had such situations that make us better and wiser - but have they displayed 'truly **** airmanship'?
DB-your idea of the moral high ground is very bizarre
they are training....no this is not allowed
they are saving us from evil.......errr in the Lake District. Maybe terrorist sheep?
they have been caught out......agreed however they are flying over high ground so more of a deliberate act.
they are hero’s and we cannot question them.....no the boys in the back deserve better.
there are no limits when flying in hero jobs.......err yes there are.
pilots can be authorised to do this.......no they can’t.
They are very experienced......come on! We know that to be highly unlikely in today’s budget constraints.
no-one has said anything like what you have written here.
You still seem to be determined to hang, draw and quarter this crew when you still don't know their composition, task or circumstances, you only criticise from your HEMS perspective - if this was a HEMS aircraft I would completely agree with you but it isn't and I don't.
If you don't think there may be situations where hovertaxying in cloud is EVER an acceptable risk then it explains why you aren't still in the military or have ever done SAR.