Sikorsky S-92: From Design to Operations

[tistisnot]

Training

7000+ offshore hours, 12 years N Sea, and only 236 ARA's recorded (including simulator). less than 20 a year ..... Oil companies no longer pressure anyone to get on the installation, go home if need be (SAR / Emergency evacuation may have the equipment / accept more risk).

Don't even think of flying over an unidentified 'blob' below 500' ASL if IMC on approach. Avoid it, or change the approach track. Unless the customer insists to get on everytime then the wx radar is fine for obs avoidance.

Brain / GPWS modes comes down to the usual - stick to the numbers when doing your first night approach for six months (take the training trip if offered!), beware of descending turns at night and in IMC (loss of airspeed / increased ROD) and use an AVAD / GPWS to awaken those on slow gradual descents, or a competent PNF to forewarn you. Beware of two sets of eyes OUTSIDE the cockpit in the final phases - one always on instruments, and clear division of duty in the OM for handover of control / duties for landing.

But primarily as Geoffers has already said - training - it is the company's responsibility to ensure their pilots are properly trained - therefore more LOFT / CRM with realistic scenarios using equipments that are fitted in the sim!! How many of you EGPWS operators have received any instruction / been tested on such items in a simulator? Shockingly few I would suspect but that's where the answer is ... training and procedures, and instructors who accept, condone and insist on the use of Company SOP's. Let's include these life saving pieces of equipment regularly in the training set-up. (Yes it's difficult 'cus no-one is prepared to pay for all those different versions, and it's a headache with the software for Helisim / Flight Safety and it's difficult dreaming up yet another scenario ... but it may save someone's life .... )

Nuff