Kudos to the Careflight Crew
I think you will find it is the careflight crew that kept the passengers together not the pelair crew, and the survival training that Careflight crew are given in regard to water survival, rotating the survivors through the middle to keep body temperatures up. Maybe if pelair manage to keep the medivac contract they will now send their crew for water survival training........ but I doubt it
As for 3 approaches, my rumor mill (its a good sources) tells me more like 5 approaches before ditching. I have always lived by the rule give it a second go then head off, unless you have a very good reason for doing the 3rd attempt but no more than 3, its funny because I learnt that rule at pelair.
for the comment about accidental ditching trying to get below the cloud and pop up onto Norfolk from beneath the hills, you do realise it was at night with and overcast cloud base dont you, if thats how it happened the aircrew should be grounded for ever.
Out of all this the real heros, that no one has mentioned are the poor careflight crew who have been thrust into this situation, most probably did most of the work in the evacuation of the aircraft and kept the patient alive for 90 minutes in the water, and kept everyones body temperature reduction to a minimum. Great work guys, you deserve an award for your efforts and an apology for being put in this situation through no fault of your own. you are the true stars of this horrible situation.
Once again good work careflight crew you guys are the unsung heros once again
As for the comment about min fuel being carried, that was the freight fleet not the medivac Westwind fleet, going to the pacific you always carried as much fuel as you decided you wanted, in any case min fuel would have been full fuel which should have given NWWW as an alternate!
Last edited by Captain Kellogs; 19th Nov 2009 at 14:58.