As I have said before, I did not request a TDA it was set up as a matter of course by ARCC.
The bloke with a broken ankle was being carried down the Pyg track in cloud by MRT and needed winching - hence not a HEMS 'mickey mouse' job.
Due to the weather I elected to try and warn the other helicopters in the area of our approach on 121.5 since we did not have their company frequency.
I was not being precious and suggesting a TDA must be established for every job but since they are available and at least keep FJ away from us then I will continue to use them - every bit of protection helps. I heard the TDA announced on 121.5 at 2000' in the LLanberis pass so anyone else monitoring 121.5 would probably have heard it as well.
A TRA makes it an offence to fly within it unless permission is given by the Emergency Controlling Authority who sets it up - these are reserved for major emergency situations - a TDA is not mandatory for civil aircraft but is used to alert traffic to SAROPs.
SS- if you are flying in Snowdonia and have a problem and put out a mayday on 121.5 because you are in class G airspace without an ATC service then unless you are above 2-3000' the only people who will hear you are other aircraft in the area monitoring 121.5 - oh dear nobody wants to do that so you are stuffed until overdue action is taken. Witness Bertie Thrusters tale - but then he is ex-mil and not driven totally by money considerations.
You only get as much flight safety as you are willing to pay for and if you don't want it then fine, crack on and hope that you are never in the situation where you call for help and no-one hears.
Speechless Two - strangely enough I am quite capable of seeing other peoples point of view - sad that so many others are blinkered by the balance sheet and can't see mine. I would like to know how the ex-mil guys attitude compromised flight safety - did you really mean 'upset the customer' or 'affected profitability'?