NZ CAA prosecuting 'rescue' pilot
"2 examples of many:
Sir Richard "Hannibal" Hayes
Otago Rescue Helicopter"
Also the main guys in Auckland/Wellington of course.
The Helicopters | Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
Central North Island
Homepage - Philips Search and Rescue Trust
Queenstown (where the mountains are):
Night vision | Southern Lakes Helicopters, Fiordland, New Zealand
Canterbury/West Coast (where the *big* mountains are):
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust Westpac Rescue Helicopter Christchurch Greymouth New Zealand
Northland:
Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) | Northland?s dedicated emergency helicopter rescue service
That seems to cover the whole country with day/night/NVG and a mix of AS350s, BK117's and S76s.
Sir Richard "Hannibal" Hayes
Otago Rescue Helicopter"
Also the main guys in Auckland/Wellington of course.
The Helicopters | Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust
Central North Island
Homepage - Philips Search and Rescue Trust
Queenstown (where the mountains are):
Night vision | Southern Lakes Helicopters, Fiordland, New Zealand
Canterbury/West Coast (where the *big* mountains are):
Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust Westpac Rescue Helicopter Christchurch Greymouth New Zealand
Northland:
Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) | Northland?s dedicated emergency helicopter rescue service
That seems to cover the whole country with day/night/NVG and a mix of AS350s, BK117's and S76s.
The first one I look at has
they must be even better than the best US goggles - 20/35 is a really good set of NVG.
Who, nationally, is responsible for monitoring standards and SOPs amongst those 'SAR' operators?
This impressive technology enhances the pilot's visual acuity at night to 20/25 vision as opposed to unaided vision at night of
Who, nationally, is responsible for monitoring standards and SOPs amongst those 'SAR' operators?
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Silsoe Sid. Land SAR is controlled by local police. My understanding it was the local Police sergeant on the ground who said to the pilot "you'll have to do it"
RCCNZ is part of Maritime NZ - a Government Department. It is responsible for responsible for coordinating "all major maritime and aviation search and rescue missions within New Zealand’s search and rescue region land-based missions arising from someone activating a distress beacon."
The New Zealand SSR is 30-million sq KMs covering a large part of the Pacific Ocean from the Equator to the Antarctic, and from half way to Australia to half way to Chile.
RCCNZ is part of Maritime NZ - a Government Department. It is responsible for responsible for coordinating "all major maritime and aviation search and rescue missions within New Zealand’s search and rescue region land-based missions arising from someone activating a distress beacon."
The New Zealand SSR is 30-million sq KMs covering a large part of the Pacific Ocean from the Equator to the Antarctic, and from half way to Australia to half way to Chile.
RVDT - According to that circular, you could have a PPLH holder with no IR (but having demonstrated very basic IF skills), with minimum night hours and single figure NVG hours acting as PIC on NVG - that's not worrying at all!!!
I note that a rad alt is mandated but a selectable low height bug and associated audio warning are just recommended! That couldn't possibly go wrong.
The circular is a nice list of things to cover but no real limits for things like 'low level searching' or winching - if a military SOP was written so loosely and without clear direction, it would be torn up and started again.
It starts off by stating that NVG is to aid VFR night flight only but them glosses over the sort of things that can easily go wrong = winching, low level searching, unimproved sites, confined areas etc.
No rad alt setting procedures (because the bug isn't mandated), allowing pilots to fly with different generations of NVG in the same cockpit (who can see what the other can't?)
All in all rather amateurish and in no way an assurance that NVG ops are conducted safely or professionally in NZ.
As you might guess I might be the wrong man for the job
I note that a rad alt is mandated but a selectable low height bug and associated audio warning are just recommended! That couldn't possibly go wrong.
The circular is a nice list of things to cover but no real limits for things like 'low level searching' or winching - if a military SOP was written so loosely and without clear direction, it would be torn up and started again.
It starts off by stating that NVG is to aid VFR night flight only but them glosses over the sort of things that can easily go wrong = winching, low level searching, unimproved sites, confined areas etc.
No rad alt setting procedures (because the bug isn't mandated), allowing pilots to fly with different generations of NVG in the same cockpit (who can see what the other can't?)
All in all rather amateurish and in no way an assurance that NVG ops are conducted safely or professionally in NZ.
As you might guess I might be the wrong man for the job
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allowing pilots to fly with different generations of NVG in the same cockpit (who can see what the other can't?)
Edit: Actually, it was PNG, the RAF hadn't got NVG in those days..
No argument there.
Shy - yes, self-drive nitesun into S Armagh fields with only the crewman on PNG - got the Tshirt but it is 30 years old and we don't have to do it that way any more
Oh I forgot - just in case anyone thinks I am being harsh -
The currency for NVG in NZ is 120 days but, if you renew your currency within 60 days of its expiry (ie before it), you can retain the original expiry date - that means a pilot could be classed as current not having flown on NVG for 6 months!!!!!
The currency for NVG in NZ is 120 days but, if you renew your currency within 60 days of its expiry (ie before it), you can retain the original expiry date - that means a pilot could be classed as current not having flown on NVG for 6 months!!!!!
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Shy - yes, self-drive nitesun into S Armagh fields with only the crewman on PNG - got the Tshirt but it is 30 years old and we don't have to do it that way any more
definitely wrong man for the job
Maybe if a newbie PPLH towards the end of his 6-month currency crashes into someones house you might just have a different view.
Shy, yes, ISTR there was no requirement for nitesun in RAFG - it was done well because it was all we had and probably didn't stop to think how freakin' dangerous it was - which compared to normal RNF, it probably wasn't
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Shy, yes, ISTR there was no requirement for nitesun in RAFG - it was done well because it was all we had and probably didn't stop to think how freakin' dangerous it was - which compared to normal RNF, it probably wasn't
.......and some of us are still required to do it like that these days - I'm sure you'd soon get used to it again as a corporate pilot.
I did quite enough 'interesting' night flying in the 80s both in NI and Cyprus, all pre NVG!
The stuff in the mountains in Cyprus to 'recced' sites in dusty fields or hilltop OPs with just cans of burning kerosene (which often blew out as the downwash hit) as the NATO T were character building.
28 Sqn used to fly heading and time into the hills around Kai Tak and then switch on the landing lamp which hopefully illuminated a bucket that indicated when to turn onto the approach heading for the LS!
The stuff in the mountains in Cyprus to 'recced' sites in dusty fields or hilltop OPs with just cans of burning kerosene (which often blew out as the downwash hit) as the NATO T were character building.
28 Sqn used to fly heading and time into the hills around Kai Tak and then switch on the landing lamp which hopefully illuminated a bucket that indicated when to turn onto the approach heading for the LS!
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28 Sqn used to fly heading and time into the hills around Kai Tak and then switch on the landing lamp which hopefully illuminated a bucket that indicated when to turn onto the approach heading for the LS!
And, just to be even handed - that was an awesome performance from the All Blacks today - very many congratulations on a well deserved win.