French Post Office Air Mail all-weather ops
Bonjour, mes amis,
Many years ago I recall reading, probably in the British Flight (magazine), a detailed description of the procedures and crew roles used in your Postal airmail service, that operated after WWII, when ILS was fairly well established.
As I recall the service was initiated using DC-3s, and finished up flying F-27s, fitted with ILS & radio altimeter, and having three-man crews, each with very defined roles. All approaches were flown as if the weather was poor. IIRC, one flew, one monitored externally for visual contact, and the third called radio altitudes.
Again, as I recall the write-up, initial ILSs were flown to a MDA height, and if just one light was seen another approach was made to 100', and the strip flow level at that radar altitude. Again, if any visual contact was made the third approach was flown to 50’ then level, and finally the last approach was to touch-down with precision radar-altimeter calls outs.
They would roll out on centre-line via localizer, and stop. The postal vehicles would carefully find the aircraft, mail was exchanged, and then they would restart and proceed to the end of the strip probably with follow-me assistance, do a 180° and take-off, still on the localizer.
They never had an accident, as far as I am aware.
I am unable to find a reference to this activity on the 'net, although my search skills are not great. I would like to quote this service to show just what a well trained and practiced flight crew is able to achieve, to counter some obsessively electronically-obsessive opinions in another place.
Is there anyone here on this French Forum who can point me to some solid reference to this excellent service?
Thanks in advance.
Jen.