Helicopters and Low Visibility Operations?
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Helicopters and Low Visibility Operations?
Forgive me if it is a stupid question, but I have never came across this topic being discussed...
Are there any helicopters/operators approved for low-visibility ops, ie. CATII/III landings?
If not, why?
Would the LVO capability be operationally useful in some environments, eg. North Sea?
Greetings,
S.
Are there any helicopters/operators approved for low-visibility ops, ie. CATII/III landings?
If not, why?
Would the LVO capability be operationally useful in some environments, eg. North Sea?
Greetings,
S.
Last edited by Stuck_in_an_ATR; 24th Apr 2012 at 18:12. Reason: Beer-induced spelling errors :-)
Helicopters can be approved for low viz operations.
Our Ops manual allows a departure minimum of 150m RVR/visibility (with runway edge/FATO lighting, centreline lighting and RVR information). The Cat 1 ILS minimum is 500m (at EGPD).
Our Ops manual allows a departure minimum of 150m RVR/visibility (with runway edge/FATO lighting, centreline lighting and RVR information). The Cat 1 ILS minimum is 500m (at EGPD).
When flying SAR in helicopter the weather operated in is very often too bad for IFR flying.
So we have to fly VFR anyway because there is no CATIII approach on scene and the airport where the hospital is has no CATI, II or III. and weather is way worse than IFR minima.
So we have to fly VFR anyway because there is no CATIII approach on scene and the airport where the hospital is has no CATI, II or III. and weather is way worse than IFR minima.
Bristow used to have a low vis 300m RVR low vis approach approval in Aberdeen. It was before the widespread use of coupled auto pilots, we used to hand fly it in the S-61N.
One operator I know of has an approval for 'Cat 1 with 100 ft DH' which is to all intents a Cat II limit.
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Cougar operates Lower Than Standard at St.John's NL and Halifax NS. Flights are routinely flown to DH of 100' (RadAlt) and RVR600. To fly the Cat II the operators has to be authorized by Transport Canada in their AOC and then all pilots have to be trained and flight checked to LTS standards. The airport has to have a CatII/III system in place with associated equipment. The aircraft must be able to be capable of flying it and have the appropriate equipment. When the airport declares they are in Low Vis ops, then there are also restricted movements on the aeodrome taxiways and aprons. Its a pretty big deal and expense to go to these operations for those few days that require it. Busy airports will have it and those that are affected by weather like St.John's will have it. For offshore, GPS approaches LPV, and radar will give the operator as low as one really wants to go, short of a tractor beam!
Flights are routinely flown to DH of 100' (RadAlt) and RVR600
SARBlade, what is the reason for using an alternative Cat 1 procedure rather than straight Cat II?
And not forgetting if you are VFR in Class G -
Lowest of the lot.
(1) Helicopter. A helicopter may be operated clear of clouds if operated at a speed that allows the pilot adequate opportunity to see any air traffic or obstruction in time to avoid a collision.
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For VFR ops in UK's Class G, there is now a lower visibility limit of 1500 metres.
When I was a Nubbin' we used to dream of having 300m's vis.....and in the Aleutians it was sometimes just that....a dream!
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For the benefit of the Europeans - that's 600 FEET RVR, not metres......
SARBlade, what is the reason for using an alternative Cat 1 procedure rather than straight Cat II?
SARBlade, what is the reason for using an alternative Cat 1 procedure rather than straight Cat II?
As for Cat III, I am not bothering to look up the requirements for it nor the minima, let's just say its low and usually tied to automatic landing systems, and very low visual range.
