Nick
In fact EC do offer EGPWS as an option on the EC225 but we chose not to take it, not for any financial reasons but because at the time v24 of the software was not available and it therefore didn't satisfy JAR-OPS 3.660.
I note you still refuse to comment on the technical points. You say it must be good because its delivered in many N Sea aircraft. But that is only the S92. On which its standard... So kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy I would say!
212
AVAD is pretty effective considering its simplicity - at least pilots can understand exactly how it works, whereas its unlikely that most pilots will be familiar with the intricasies of modes 1-6, hence understand what protection it does and doesn't give.
There is of course room for improvement with AVAD but the problem with EGPWS at the moment is that the "check height" equivalent message is not present. This is represents a big hole in the system. For example you could be doing your ARA (rather badly!) and get a "minimums" callout, to which you react and climb back to the correct height. But after that there will be no more callouts until "100'". That is a big retrograde step from AVAD.
Once the system is designed properly so there is no loss of safety compared to AVAD, I will support it. But that is not yet.
Your comment on supressing warnings is interesting. The idea behind AVAD is that you shouldn't routinely hear the "check height" and thus when you do hear it, you are more likely to react. With EGPWS bleating its "minimums" on every landing, surely the chances of ignoring a real warning are much higher? I know I portray myself as anti- American but that is largely to wind up NL, however I do find the EGPWS voice irritating and perhaps there is a risk of setting radalt bugs to zero to avoid hearing it? Is there any reason why Honeywell could not offer a choice of voices? Surely its technically trivial.
Regarding the 3 accidents you mention, can you explain how EGPWS would have made a difference? I can't see how, though I am not familiar with the 76 accident.
Anyway, thankyou for bringing some sensibility to the argument!
HC
ps Yes I would prefer to remain anonymous otherwise Nick will send the Sikorsky men in black suits round to sort me out!
Last edited by HeliComparator; 6th Nov 2006 at 07:51.