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Old 4th Sep 2012, 00:19
  #181 (permalink)  
Mach E Avelli
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: All at sea
Posts: 2,197
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The decision not to depart APW with full tanks was certainly wrong, unless payload prevented it. Most of us agree that, regardless of any management desire to save a buck on fuel, we would have gone full tanks, or stopped in Fiji for a top-up. Maybe management prohibited that or would not pay for it, or had no fuel credit in Fiji? The report glosses over commercial pressures.
Earlier I mentioned a Bae 146 crew that gave themselves a good fright at NLK. Back then the rules did not require an alternate if the weather forecast met the usual mainland criteria. It was usual to go to a PNR which was normally about top of descent. Subject to what the unicom operator had to say, the decision was then made to divert or descend. Once the descent started it was a total commit to a landing.
On this occasion the weather outsmarted both the unicom and the crew and they did bust minima by heading out to sea, letting down until visual then clawing their way back up to the runway. It cost the Captain his command for a while. A bit harsh in the circumstances, but typical of the blame game that authorities and managements play to cover up their own inadequacies and poor policies.
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