CFIT - EGPWS in Africa
Gentlemen,
After reading all 9 pages of interesting comments from you all on this, lets try apply the following evolutionary steps on a progressive level without emotions and personal vendettas and lets all work together to try avoid any future potential CFIT or MIDAIR (God forbid):
Let's take an "imaginary" flip into Africa (wherever you prefer) and lets switch a perfect sunny day, CAVOK, and within 30minutes it turns IMC, thunderstorms, turbulence AND you are in the descend into some non VOR/ILS strip and you know you have to land (for whatever reason), a/c below you at the aerodrome, no SSR, "broken" english from the Tower, AND finally, some high rise "rocks" hiding somewhere in the clouds.......
Now, your CRM takes effect, all your experience, your bravado and you know you are doing everything correct and you are now really working that seat of yours to get to the "numbers" on the runway... are you going to make it....??.....possibly not.... we are all humans and we do and always will make mistakes, BUT what can we do or use to assist us to reduce the risk we face:
- Friends, lets face it, EGPWS at that point in time is all that will assist you. Let's not kid ourselves..... to those of you that say no, good luck! To those that pause and think, let me explain further, EGPWS has saved many lives before (irrepective of crews reporting an event or not), I believe there are a few of you that have had the "privelage" to a "caution terrain" from a EGPWS when you did not expect it..... ?
- GWPS: be very careful as there are still many a/c flying today with "old" GPWS systems that WILL NOT AND WILL NEVER IN THE FUTURE give you predictive terrain warning as these systems DO NOT have internal databases that applies "forward looking" concepts such as EGPWS will.
-Is it possible that the operator of this fatal accident did not have EGPWS onboard, yes, it is possible and was he legally required to carry such system, no, he was not as EGPWS has not yet been mandated for ZS aircraft. Then the operator/owner cannot be blamed for this as if the legal requirement did not specify this, then let's not blame ANYONE or ANYBODY and lets rather ask, when can we fly in our aircraft with these systems fitted. Friends, EGPWS fitments is a small price to pay compared to the loss we have witnessed here again.
- Now, how many of you can say that " I have EGPWS with terrain display fitted in my a/c"..... ? If some of you are unfortunate enough to say NO, next time you get in your "office" think of of the crews that have sacrificed their lives for what.... so we can keep on tempting fate..... no boys and girls, lets get our aircraft owners, CAA's in Africa all to get these little systems onboard which becomes your next best friend besides your captain or co-pilot... In respect for this recent crew (AND pax), that lovely red a/c that found itself next to the rocks in George a few years ago (its crew AND pax), and all other still to come (whom will it be...anybody in this forum...) I hope not and although it is sad to read some strong ignorant and narrowminded comments about operators and all kinds of trivial horsepucky that had nothing to do with this accident, let's rather see who is NOT goind to die next of a possible CFIT. Let's evolve and be proactive. We pilots are suppose to be intellectually evolved, let's use it!!
To the crew of ZS-OLD, we thank you for your bravery and rest in peace friends. You were both excellent pilots and I hope we can use your sacrifice to good use and turn it into something we shall all be thankful and respectful for in the future....
Apollo 20