oryxs:
1. PHI's Outerlink is supposed to alarm
at the aircraft's ETA. Why it apparently did not in this case I don't know, but I do know that it is often out of service.
2. I don't believe PHI will call on another company for SAR until it absolutely has to. It also will not willingly help other companies. The Dir of Ops refused to allow me to launch to search for the Era S76 until Era agreed to pay for the flight.
I was still the first aircraft on the scene, beating the USCG by some time, after an hour delay.
3. I don't know whether the radalt was set or not, or to what altitude. In any case, all that happens when the altitude is reached is that a small light on the radalt illuminates. It's easy to miss that light in the daytime. There is no aural warning in that aircraft, nor in most of the A++ aircraft. A couple have a very faint 'ding', easy to miss. If the pilot isn't looking at the radalt, he will receive no warning. At night, the light is much more noticeable. I also don't have any knowledge about the Central Helicopters 222, other than the NTSB report, nor about their SOPs. Technology can help with this, I think. A simple aural warning when radalt minimums are reached would be easy, but it simply hasn't happened.