Erebus 25 years on

[prospector]

Brian Abraham,


"The crews received zip training to prepare them for operating VMC in antarctica at any altitude below the LSALT"

That is of course correct, but to put the blame on the company only for this state of affairs does not tell the whole story. Capt Gemmel explained that he spent time with the Deep Freeze operators to glean as much knowledge as possible before these flights were commenced. He states he was informed that if the flights stayed above 6,000ft, and in weather minima as laid down, there would be no problem with whiteout.

We all know the experience requirements of the other operators who operate down there regularly in as much as experience required before going down in command. No doubt the company would also have like to implement this policy. But who was it that insisted that these "perk" flights be shared amongst its members, thereby diluting any pool of experience amongst the available captains for these flights??.

And a bit more on Exhibit 164. This from Keith Amies from the Nav Section.

" Exhibit 164 had no significance at all in the operations to McMurdo. However, it was the only piece of evidence that could support the Commissioners contention that the DC10 was intentionally flight planned to somewhere other than McMurdo" and a lot more in the same vein.

We have seen what the Appeal Court thought of the amount of credence Justice Mahon put on Exhibit 164.

From Gordon Vette's book Impact Erebus,

"Among a number of maps and documents placed on the table before the pilots at the RCU briefing were four copies of an actual flight plan, one used only two days previously on Captain Wilson's Antarctic flight".

I have another reference somewhere stating that Capt Wilson was on the flight that diverted but cannot find it at this time.