Hi Whirls,

Then you best give your licence back as it may be invalid!!! The grass strip you refer to (the one near Yarmouth dog track), is at present, and always has been UNlicenced.

To 332M, all CHC 76A+ aircraft flying in the UK at present are not equipped with any autopilot to speak of, just a basic AFCS. But one aircraft does have phase 3 which gives you a very rudimentary headin and hight hold capability. :ok:

Pitchlink,

I've sent you a private message as I'm sure other rotorheads would much rather hear about Sir Anthony's new toy!

Cheers

Whirls

Sorry Slotty for having hijacked(7500)your thread, I'll leave you to talk about JCB's new toy & continue my rant on another thread.
Regards, ambi

Just to bring some pedantry to the topic; the E in EGPWS stands for Enhanced, not Early!

(332M, Most of the 76 A+s operated from Norwich and Den Helder are also AFCS only, too)

Thanks for the info - didn't realise that a "modern" helicopter working in the N Sea could be so lacking in the basics. Would have thought that after the Scilly S61 crash that the oil companies would insist on at least a height hold. Even the good old Wessex had a height hold!!

332M

...and I'm always up for a bit of pedantry...

The P in EGPWS stands for Proximity not Proximately!! Perhaps Heliport's Secretary couldn't read his writing!!

Cheers

Whirls

It's a straight quote from the Press Release - thought it was funny so I left it - in quotes.

:)

H

Oops! - that is funnier!! :O

Cheers

Whirls

H - I thought your secretary would be more efficient than that! What? You don't have a secretary!!

Secretary?
Que? :confused:


:D

Sorry Slotty & Whirls,
Couldn't resist one last bite at this particular cherry.

332M-Remember that the oil companies only pay for safety when they're forced to by regulation, never forget Piper 'A'! Their advisors are outwardly at least, reactive & not proactive, they have their corporate careers to think about after all.Remember also that oil co. execs. travel in state of the art jets & not 20+ year old "low tech" helicopters almost exclusively reserved for their largely contract staff.

212Man-Now you're on the other side of the fence perhaps you'll be in a better position to influence a drive for improved eqpt. in the UK sector. With the introduction of performance standards to take place by 2010 there exists the opportunity to replace current out-dated eqpt. I forsee a rush to obtain exemptions prior to that date though?
Where is the drive for increased levels of automation & reduction of pilot workload?
Where is the "paperless" cockpit, much talked about ten years ago. All the available info is stored within IHUMS, why isn't full use of this technology being made.?
Mandatory annual SIM checks are still not industry wide & are dependant on oil.co. largesse/whim at the time of contract bid.

A parting observation- As reported in the FT, Chevron/Texaco share buybacks this week could have renewed the entire UK helicopter fleet & still have returned money to shareholders. But in this country "shareholder value" is the only mantra the suits pay attention to.

Ambidextrous:

I'm appalled by your lack of knowledge of the offshore industry in the North Sea and investment by the oil companies; in the immediate past you have seen new helicopters from BP, the tender and award (for new helicopters) by Shell, the likely introduction of the AB139 and EC155 in Den Helder, the award of contracts for the EC225, the replacement of the 332 by the S92 in Norway.

Without regulation the oil companies also introduced pop-out windows (including a redesign of the rear window in the S76), seat window alignment, upper torso restraint, four point harnesses for passengers, the use of constant wear lifejackets and survival suits by passengers, automatic-inflation flotation equipment, PBS and EBS for passengers and have required (and paid for) the research and installation of HUMS and HOMP. They are also (ahead of any regulations) moving to safer operational procedures and are fitting EGPWS and ACAS.

Finally, they are active in (that means pay for) research activities which will enhance the safety and suvivability of passengers and crews in the future.

Ambi, How many hours on the airframes now? When I last flew AL I think it had in excess of 20,000 hours and something like 80,000 landings on it :hmm: or is time and memory playing tricks on me?

Some of you may not have heard this - tipped at 14-1 to be the Christmas number 1!

The JCB Song

Cheers

Whirls

Semi-rigid Rotor:
Your memory's not too far out!
bmal-76a+ 49,900 landings, 23,395 hours.
drnt-76A+ 57,600 landings, 19,057 hours.
chcd-76A+ 57,700 landings, 18,333 hours.
and the baby of the fleet, sssc-76C 26,500 landings, 10,400hrs.
Some ex S61n drivers might say these are all babies! Unfortunately decisions taken long ago regarding certification of the S76 & the introduction of 2 crew(not that that stopped the Scillies crash) mean that there won't be any replacements in the SNS for some time yet.
4th.Rock from the Sun:
Most of the new technology you quote is being introduced elsewhere in the N.Sea & not in the UK sector. The S92 utilises S70 technology & is hardly new, although the americans would like you to think otherwise.
As for the other improvements you quote, I suggest that they probably came out of the oil companies petty cash. The facts remain that transportation costs for all forms of transport in the N.Sea don't figure on the oil majors radar. i.e.less than 5% of their operating revenue. Meanwhile the government & shareholders are enjoying a tax/dividend bonanza.
with fraternal greetings, ambi