........... the comparison of the two sets of minima for the ILS and for the ARA are stunning ......... how come I never realised how 'adventurous' we were being offshore. Could it by any chance have something to do with the fact that ever since offshore ops began we have been trying to creep away from the quasi military style of ops that were justified
'in the national interest' when exploitation of 'mineral resources' deep in the continental shelf was started 40 years ago (hang on, must get my calculator out for CRAB) yes, nearly 40 years ago.
Can you imagine, back then:-
no immersion suits - at all!!!
no instrument ratings - my VFR minima was 200 ft and I could get in almost anywhere when the approved instrument procedures were below limits - remember the 'low level route'. Ah!!! nightmares
no rad alts
no coupling
no separation
no radio coverage - save for HF if you could bare to use it when it worked.
no performance calcs once you crossed the coast outbound where Group A was an alphabet lesson.
no IVLL
no helideck inspections
crap FTL schemes
etc etc
So at last we get to deal with the ARA - well I hope so anyway. Nice work DB.
G
