View Full Version : Time to restructure Instrument Rating?
Bird Strike
10th Jul 2004, 15:57
Is it time CASA restructured the Instrument Rating to remove the requirement that you have to do the NDB, since they may well be going in less than 10 years' time?
PIFR doesn't have the requirement for NDB. Should it be the case for CIR?
See this document for background info regarding decommissioning the NDBs. http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/pilotcentre/forums/RAPAC/rapacnsw040617.pdf
Discuss.
Tinstaafl
10th Jul 2004, 16:25
Eventually, I think, but not yet. Oz still has many more NDBs than other aids. Lots of aerodromes & routes only have NDBs available. Also consider the adverse effect on alternate availability.
Howard Hughes
10th Jul 2004, 22:50
Good question!
I dont believe that it should be a requirement. Most of us would choose to have it on our rating anyway. Although operationally an ILS, VOR/DME, GPS is probably going to be our first choice other than for reasons of currency.
Cheers, HH.
:ok:
Hudson
11th Jul 2004, 11:51
There is no question that the NDB approach must remain in the CIR syllabus until Air Services withdraw all NDB approaches. In any case, NDB's will be with us in the Pacific islands region for years to come. Flying the NDB approach requires skill - especially in windy conditions. It is probably a fair bet that NDB's will be around for many years yet. Maybe those that call for the removal of the NDB approach in the CIR, are the one's having most difficulty learning to master it?
NOOOOO!!!!
I LOVE THE NDB. It's my favourite instrument approach because the ADF gives you a clearer indication of drift trend combined with the advantage that you don't have to remember to change the OBS turning outbound/inbound. You don't have to interact with the ADF at all except to just to bloody WATCH it.
Whereas with the GPS you have to keep playing with it to select the required functions (which can distract from flying the plane), as well as having to keep current on every particularly type of GPS unit (no good for pilots who regularly hire planes each with a different type of GPS unit) before you can conduct GPS approaches.
PLEASE KEEP THE NDB (at least for terminal approaches anyway)!