HC
I understand the importance of heli vortex vs landing FW, but couldn't more common sense be applied? There is a massive difference between nil wind when a vortex can linger over the runway for a long time (and be very dangerous to FW), vs the normal Dyce strong crosswind where the vortex is blown off the runway in seconds. Surely the goal is safe but expeditious operations, not rules for the sake of the rules?
I agree 100% with you – however decisions to get that through have to be taken at levels way above where I stand and are fraught with difficulties: At what x-wind component can we stop apply the separation just being one.
In case it's not widely known and with credit to Lori Bergman - the following is most apt:
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim.
I will throw a ‘common-sense’ idea back at you….
With regards the back-tracking for departure on 34. The area beyond the end of the runway is a fairly smooth piece of grass which had a considerable amount of hardcore placed down on it in the mid-90’s when a 146 went gardening. The efficacy of it was proven when a Dornier went the same way a couple of years ago – could not this perfectly good piece ground be considered as a suitable reject onto area/de-facto runway extension, thereby negating the need for the backtrack?
The request for a backtrack is another reason why crews may feel gaps are being missed – if a helicopter (or fixed-wing for that matter) is back-tracking we CANNOT allow a sectorised landing so it can lead to one needing a back-track having to wait for a longer time and with the lack of ‘cherry-picking’ opportunities I have already mentioned it may look like we are not being the most efficient we can be. (First thing in the morning we regularly send a back-track one to A4 for that reason but that option is largely closed off once inbounds start arriving)
ShyTorque
I don't work from ABZ but sometimes find myself more than a little bemused when I am given permission to hover taxy to line up on the runway then held in the hover for vortex wake reasons behind a departed fixed wing.
Holding in a hover you are not actually flying through a ‘Wake’ – fixed wing Wake turbulence only starts being generated when the aircraft rotates which I assume would be someway beyond where you are holding.
TTFD
Haven’t got any answers yet regarding Balmedie etc. However the question has been ‘escalated’.
DD