Captain S
I am glad things have carmed down a bit.
As to the debate, whilst I agree with your last comment, the fact remains that specific legislation banning the use of mobiles in light aircraft has yet to be cited.
It is a little like the discussion we have had in the past about the IMC rating. There are many who like to argue the minima are different between IMCr and IR holders - however recommendations are just that, they are only recommendations. It may well be sensible to follow those recommendations but more often than not they are also recommendations for a reason - to give the pilot some flexibility. The Regulator is very unlikely to prosecute successfully because a pilot did not comply with the recommendations.
In terms of the accident report you reproduce I guess most of us would instantly deplore any pilot talking on a mobile during the final stages of an approach in IMC. However inevitably accident reports reveal the consequences when things go wrong. To flip the coin, and perhaps to play devils advocate, you will not read the report about the pilot that arrived at an unmanned airport in weather conditions worse than forecast, made a call to a mate on the ground to establish whether or not an approach was possible and, on the strength of their report, went some where else and landed safely.
I suspect one of the reasons GA operates in a more liberal enviroment is partly in recognition that many flights operate into an out of unlicensed and unmanned fields. We dont always have the luxury of manned towers, automated weather systems and approach and tower control.
Please dont misunderstand - I am neither advocating the use of mobile 'phones in the situation you cite, nor am I promoting home made approaches, I am simply pointing out that sometimes their are reasons why even experienced and usually law abiding pilots consider their are extenuating circumstances for following a particular course of action as much as their are occasions when their actions can be considered negligent.
Last edited by Fuji Abound; 26th August 2009 at 14:18.