Forgive my ignorance, but who are all you people that listen to guard, and how /why do you have the inclination/time to do it?
The arguments for practice PANs is surely self-evident, training pilots that it works, and operators in making it work, but why why why do people (presumably Airline crews) listen to it.
A call put out on guard anywhere (well, in 99% of Europe above 250' is going to be picked up by a ground agency or five. I can see the point in Canada/Africa/ocean routes, but Europe?
Frankly I cant believe anyone has the time/spare capacity to do this in Europe, or is this a contributory factor in all those missed RT calls?
For info in nearly 3000 hrs of airline flying in 4 companies I have never seen or heard of anyone doing this, hence my surprise. (apart from the surprise that any prof pilot would object to a stude being trained in safety procedures)
[This message has been edited by piston broke (edited 13 April 2001).]