Originally Posted by Epiphany
EMS helicopters here are not required to operate to CAT A simply because they cannot comply and do the job. You cannot take off from a helipad at CAT A weights with fuel, flight crew, medical crew and patient - even VFR. Have a look at CAT A helipad weights and see how restrictive they are. They are found in the CAT A supplement of the flight manual but they are not required for EMS operations and are therefore academic. I'll bet that the only pre-flight planning graphs consulted are the en-route OEI graphs for IFR LSALT.
The limiting factor for EMS helicopters operating from hospital helipads is normally the torque gauge and taking off with a full load at MTOW means that you need to pull 95% to take off. Have an engine failure shortly after rotation from a rooftop helipad in the city in those conditions and you will crash.
Possibly the only EMS machine flying here that could operate to CAT A is the AW139. The rest - forget it.
I see that you said "possibly", but the 412EP's in Victoria are contracted to operate Cat A to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, albeit with reduced weights at higher (summer) temperatures.
For those of you operating the D/DE/DF P&W's, a couple of months ago Bell advised that the 2.5 Minute power available chart is being revised, after it became apparent that N1 and ITT limits didn't seem quite right! I've got a copy of the draft, but I'm not sure if it's found its way to the Flight Manual yet?
Going even further OT: sorry
Re the Gold Coast accident, I often see SE drivers maintain a fairly shallow approach path, leaving them no chance to make the pad in the event of a power loss. I prefer a steepish approach, with the assurance that I'll make it to the pad should it all go terribly quiet: it worked for me when the B206 compressor threw all its stator blades on short finals to the World Trade Centre helipad in Melbourne
