Vanguard for the chop by the Feds
 

Just heard a nasty rumour that the CAA are thinking of making Vanguard legal only for aircraft with HUMS fitted. Given that no on-shore helis that I know of are have it fitted, that would effectively be Vanguard closed. (I was also told that it was London City that was pushing to have it closed and this is a way of achieving that aim.)

:= := :=

Any one else heard about this?

It could also be a short end of the stick with all congested sites requiring a HUMS fitted aircraft!

Isn't it interesting that BAA have been referred to the Competition Commission by the CAA over increasing landing fees at Heathrow while there is not a murmur from them over the Von Essen pad?

Vanguard?????

Vanguard is an HLS very close to Canary Wharf, i.e. really close to big money.

plus:

Rhetorical question, but if HUMS is fitted does that affect the flying abilities of the pilot therefore increasing the risk of a dink ?

The Nr Fairy
What do you think a HUMS is?

Not sure why LCY itself would even care to be honest.

It makes absolutely no difference in ATC terms - more often than not the aircraft stays with radar nowadays...... the beauty of Class D VFR v IFR.

There may be other reasons - possibly noise?? It is certainly far busier than ever right now - and a couple of times this week there have been one waiting to get in or squeezing in against the other one on the ground.

As a mere ATCO, can you tell me exactly what HUMS is?

Health and Usage Monitoring System

Records data on a memory card/chip for downloading after a flight. Gives a diagnostic of vibration, torques, temps and pressures etc so engineering can check trends which may need attention and spot any excedences.

P1

Is that the same as the Monopolies Commission?
So the CAA doesn't think BAA should take advantage of their position to impose extortionate charges? :hmm:

What is it with this country....... It makes you wonder why we bother!!:ugh: :ugh: :ugh:

ATC have always been helpful when using Vanguard, but guess LCY just being used as excuse by 'Red Ken!'

Rushes

Still not very obvious how carrying an engineering tool for diagnostics of vibration, torques, temps and pressures etc would increase risk for Nr Fairy or why it would make a flight into Vanguard safer or why Mr Ken is now running the CAA...

sox 6 retires into darkened room to recover.

Anyone else hear a "whoosh" as my irony passed safely over top of zalt's and sox6's heads ?

Only if your irony on finals to Vanguard.

Just for the record Nr Fairey - you are in my opinion an excellent and clear communicator and your post has made a really eloquent and convincing intellectual and technical arguement that will of course have a dramatic impact on CAA policy and has helped educate and inform thousands of PPrUNE members.:D

Back to reality, I believe that since the late 90s any UK registered helicopter needs HUMS if it is to carry to carry more than 9 pax, so a S76 or As365 would need HUMS to fly to Vanguard with a full load but I believe there was a FODCOM lasy year that says the CAA are to abandon that rule for onshore operation.

What possible logical connection can there be between a landing site and HUMS?:ugh:

But then I have to remember, it is the CAA we are talking about here.:mad:

Does HUMS operation become unreliable at some select spots on the Earth or something?:uhoh:

I think the logic goes like this. Vanguard is a Helipad. So is Battersea. If the tide is out, they become Elevated Helipads. JAR-Ops 3 operators currently benefit (if they apply for it and it is noted on their AOC) for a Performance Class 2/Class 3 alleviation to permit operations to Battersea (I'm not so sure about Vanguard actually being a 'standard' Exemption) as an elevated helipad. However, in the not too distant future aircraft doing this will require a UMS. Blame JAR-Ops 3. I think I am correct in saying that, for example, the standard VEMD and associated system in the EC120 would be compliant. It's to do with monitoring of engine parameters and the sums for Probability of Failure. A full IHUMS will not be necessary.

Mr Stop;

You are absolutely right about Battersea being an elevated pad with the tide out, I'm not too sure about Vanguard though. The tidal fall at Vanguard is minimal in comparison, The site is full group a for twins because unlike at Batts where a floated aircraft can request a running take off from abeam the tower, and be at VTOSS by the platform edge, Vanguard is a heli-pad in the true sense of the word. It would be an unwise pilot who tried a runner from Vanguard, the fences might ruin his whole day:E

Vanguard Helipad
 

Hi there

I live very close to the Vanguard site on the Isle of Dogs, and often see helicopters (I think usually Dauphins) coming in and out. It's fantastic to watch and I would love to find out more about who uses the helipad, and what it's like to fly into (it looks like a very tight place to get in).

Any help gratefully received!

Quite tight, with a wall far from ideally placed.

Ken keen to close it down sadly

That would be a real shame - it's a fantastic thing to live near to.

it makes you wonder how any helicopter flying is done is this country given the amount of (over) regulation.

Care to comment JimL?