With regard to the Birmingham incident...
I don't think fining the guy was the right thing to do, yes he should have checked back with the last frequency but considering the suspected radio failure I can imagine a lot of pilots doing the same as he did under the pressure of the moment.
As for not seeing the Q400 the AAIB actually stated in their report that it would have been likely that the pilot would not see the aircraft considering the colour of the runway surface in that area and the likely focus point for viewing the runway from the approach path.
It was a poor display of airmanship perhaps but I fail to see the point in fining guy.
You are correct, they should have taken his license iso a fine.
Classic case of getting behind the airplane after a simple distraction and too much money with not enough skill.
If we just assume similar weather conditions for the sake of the discussion.
Here is an approach and landing onto RWY 15 at Birmingham in 2007
If you can't be bothered to wait skip to 2:30
And they are saying that it may have been hard to see an aircraft of this size on the threshold waiting?
At 8 miles at 120 kts he would have had 4 minutes to change the frequency back to approach or to double check the frequency with the approach plate which he should have had on his lap or close by. He should have done an approach briefing where he verified the frequencies.
He should have been in contact with the tower at 6.7DME at the FAF.
The approach plate is here:
http://www.californiaair.co.uk/Route...IACS/ILS15.pdf ILS was out of service and he buggered up the approach at one point being 700 feet high. He also did not configure the airplane till visual at 1.3 NM
The AAIB report is here:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...TV%2010-11.pdf From the report:
51 years
Commander’s Flying Experience: 1,100 hours (of which 180 were on type)
Last 90 days - 30 hours
Last 28 days - 12 hours
And a previous thread here:
http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...unded-bhx.html