I appreciate all the comments. Keep them coming, since we are all still learning.
Perhaps I should have added that the FO's sit in the left seat for the first two plus years. Company and customer requirements. Since the customer requires 4,000 hrs for Captains and 2,500 hrs for FO's and the local CAA states we must train locals to replace us, we get locals with few hours.
Most of the time the obstacles are on the right side. How could we train shallow fast approaches when they can see little?
I like the idea of holding a video camera out the left side so the non-aviators can see what we are dealing with at night. Even during daylight. Will run that by management.
War Story:
About three years ago we had a 412 on final approach to a small elevated deck. 50' by 50'. 300 hr Co-Pilot at the controls of the 412. One of the last graduates of the George Small School at Redhill. At approx. 100', the No1 engine went to idle. His personal abilities and training, steep, steep approach,
put it on the platrorm. The passengers never realized anything went wrong. Fuel control in manual, after consulting with engineering, and fly it back to base, which was the next planned stop.
That altitude would have caused a catastrophic, read unsanitorty, situation.
This is one of the very few times it happens, but had a happy ending.
I attended the last Heli-Expo Offshore Safety Seminar.
Shell offered a study on the fatal accidents for the last ten years in the North Sea and the GOM.
Main cause, Older Technologies.
Second cause: Pilots. Mainly, non-standard take-off and landing profiles.
Nick: Running into obstacles.
Presenter: We realize you can't have a check pilot in each aircraft.
Again:
I print this out for the reading of all interested pilots on this operation.
Keep the comments coming.
Regards again,
Charles Alexander
[email protected]
1.868.681.0052