It's a shame that the waters get muddied and a more factual discussion can't take place.
HC, I think you have to accept that the S-92 EGPWS has all the functionality of an AVAD: It has a 'hard wired' 100 ft call ( "One Hundred" ) plus a variable Rad-alt based call ("Altitude") as well as a variable bar-alt based call "(Minimums"). The latter can usefully be set to MEA (or MESA or whatever you call it these days) for en-route IFR navigation.
Nick, I think you have to accept that in the specific context of offshore flying (agreed, not the be all and end all, but the dominant market for the Civil S-92) the EGPWS does not provide protection in many of the scenarios that have resulted in CFIT. To list the main ones that involve mediums/large types that spring to mind and the assistance the EGPWS would give:
1987 BIH S-76 on a Night Shuttle- unlikely
1992 BHL AS332 on a Night Shuttle - unlikely
199? BH(A)L SA330J Night aproach to ship - unlikely
1997 KLM S-76B on a Night Shuttle - unlikely (had no AVAD either btw)
2004 ERA S-76 night en-route - very probably would have helped
2006 PHI S-76 on a day low vis approach - unlikely
The ERA 76 may also have been helped if a fundamental flaw, which I'm saddened to see carried over to the S-92, had not been present: the flight director command annunciator on the PFD is green regardless of the coupled state. Surely to goodness manufacturers can agree on some convention accross the board. Here's a suggestion:
If it's green it coupled
If it's not green, it's not coupled (might be blue, white, amber whatever)
By all means have a little CPL on the side too, but let's go for more attention grabbing stuff!
Last edited by 212man; 7th Nov 2006 at 06:42.