Originally Posted by
Mel Effluent
1. Instrument flying proficiency is a perishable skill. If not current, even the most talented and experienced pilot will struggle to accurately fly a helicopter on instruments manually.
2. Instrument flying currency affects capacity directly. I have seen (and been) a pilot who can manage to control the aircraft adequately in IMC, but struggle to communicate (or even speak in some cases) or make sensible decisions.
3. In my view, most helicopter accidents are not caused by lack of flying skill, but poor decision making. Giving a newbie a few hours on instruments in carefully controlled conditions may provide a confidence that is not warranted. I think that it would be a much better use of time and money to put the student in a suitable simulator, let him fly up a valley into IMC and see what happens. Then let him do it again and see if his decision changes.
Mel, I 100% agree with you. I think that the IMC training that you get is a complete waste of time and money. You either need to do it properly and become and remain current, or else just stay away.
I have said time and again that they need to take the first I away from IIMC when you are talking day, VFR, non wartime flying. There is absolutely no reason to put yourself into IMC, in most cases. I have been close, years ago, never done it since, do not intend to get anywhere near that close to IMC again.
But i fly Day, VFR, non war, so the only reason to try to push on is generally to satisfy a client, or get-home-itis!! neither of those are a reason to die.
Nick, i have to disagree with you. for probably 80-90% of heli ops, which are Day, VFR, non-war and non-EMS, you do not need all those flash dials and gauges. If you have them installed, then one day you may be tempted to use them when you should simply be sitting on the ground waiting for better weather. Plus once you have all that stuff installed, then you have to keep it all in working condition $$$$, and you should really try to keep current in IFR, lots more $$$$$, all for the chance that one day it "MAY" save your live, if you are "STUPID" enough to fly into IMC. Just don't do it. go and land somewhere and have break. Sleep in the helicopter, wait it out.
Plus in most light helicopters, it actually takes away a reasonable amount of payload, which therefore reduces the safety margin on any specific operation, as well as increases the cost of every utility job to the client.
Obviously there are a few occasions when yes you need the ability to keep going, Offshore, Wartime, EMS, or some s#*t hole country where the locals will kill you if you land, are all good reasons to be prepared to keep flying through IMC. But most of us in the civil heli industry aren't flying in those conditions or industries.