RayBan….wow , you sure got a bee up your b__. Right about one thing though. I do have a lot of time on my hands. Rig is just 55nm out and I average two trips a week. Lucky me.
As for returning “to the real world of flying”…(.provocactive statement perhaps ?)…I have flown in the real world and I can say now that the North Sea is a doddle compared to the Bohai Sea (China)…and for a number of different reasons which I won’t go into here. Another thread perhaps ? IFR offshore helicopter operations were invented by the Canadians , passed to the Brits in the North Sea and so on. (There , that’s my bit of provocation !)
Let me explain “ luxury of 300 feet”. That is a C.A.A.C requirement for night , which drops to 200 by day. I too have flown to 150 and a half and apart from the extra pukkar factor of having the ocean a bit closer , you still have to fly the machine to the required limits.
The idea of this thread was to exchange information in a constructive manner ..on a subject that is , in my experience , critical. Night Rig operations.
As for for our Chinese compatriots. We are here to pass on our knowledge and experience. You would have to be a pratt , not to realize that they too have learnt a few things along the way….to ignore that , is folly.
I agree about the CRM but in the context of my recent experience I am in the left seat as a training pilot with a copilot (under training) with less than 500 hours experience. I might add that these particular copilots are the best I have ever flown with and this opinion is shared by other multi national high time training pilots. Want me to name names ?
As for the Take off Radalt setting. The 50 foot is just a (nominal) marker. Doesn’t mean we have to fly down to it on one engine. (I don’t have an AVAD apart from the one sitting next to me) so whether you set 50 , 70 or 100 feet….it is meant as a warning that it is time to raise the nose before that big splash.
Come on , RayBan. Take those god awful shades off and look at the situation with a bit more of a positive attitude. We are here to learn , not throw stones.