Many HAA/EMS operators have adopted departure and approach profiles that live entirely inside the HVD and would seeming drive a new instructor insane. An operator might require departure and approach profiles similar to:
- For any non-airport departure, maintain a profile that will ensure all obstacles are cleared by a minimum of 30 feet. After clear of all obstacles accelerate to and maintain best rate of climb speed.
- Rates of descent shall be kept below 200 fpm when less than 300 feet above the landing surface. Steep approach angles with a rate of descent greater than 200 fpm shall be avoided.
At one time, I too thought this exaggeratedly and dangerously slow. For most pilots its excruciatingly difficult to fly an approach this slow, or to liftoff vertically without an obstacle 10 foot in front of them. Try it. However, it makes sense from a statistical point of view. As an industry, we run into far more (seen and unseen) obstacles rather than suffer from failures of our incredibly reliable turbine engines.