Can anyone explain to me why Australia is STILL one of the only places in the world where it is legal to operate without an alternate or remote airport holding? (Yes there are JAR provisions for no alternate but they require very good forcast conditions and are the exception not the rule)
To me it all harks back to the days when ATC had operational control. When that ceased, a suitable cultural framework within companies didn't exist. Note for instance that the QF330 made two attempts with VIS reported below minimum. That would be illegal just about everywhere else in the world as every OPS manual I've operated to had Approach Ban provisions, and for good reason! Go Arounds from Minima in IMC are a reduced-saftey manaeouvre that should occur rarely, yet the culture of "Going and having a look" is still a (Legal!!) part of Australian operations.
Once upon a time Australia did it differently to the rest of the world by having higher saftey standards. Now I believe the opposite is true!
