You should know Grenade...
I too believe congrats are due to the driver for making it in, whatever the cause of the malfunction.
G.I.S. I agree with your points re the costs and dificulties of setting up and NVD program - as, in the whole, would HF I think. There are many difficulties involved and these are being looked at by industry discussion groups as we speak (groups involving HF, I'm pretty certain).
His point that NVD actually help in avoiding IIMC is, I believe, well put as long as it is qualified with the statement that we are talking about civil ops where we can have far more restrictive minima than for mil ops. Civ ops would not fly tactically lit, at min alt, flat out and in formation. In these situations, yes I agree completely that IIMC is a real consideration (been there myself actually). However, for civ ops, a more restrictive min WX and illum minima, coupled with non-tac environment and nothing even approaching NOE flight, would allow us to avoid the areas where IIMC become likely. I think you alluded to the thought process of "I think I can dodge that fuzzy patch or even make it though". Well, I reckon that it just takes us to set the pilot thought process to "looks a bit fuzzy over there, will avoid it now rather than waiting and seeing", much like avoiding the clear area under a CB anvil due to the likelyhood of hail that might or might not actually be there.
I for one want nothing more than the ability to see the hills and obstacles that the maps tell me are there every night job. I'd also love to be able to not turn down so many winter night jobs because of the likelyhood of ice that could be avoided if NVD allowed us a lower LSALT. Its the EMS driver's lot to understand that not all jobs can be achieved, but its hard knowing that people in trouble could have been helped if I could have used existing technology that I am already trained to use to go and help them.
Oops, there I go getting emotive. Appologies all.
