Dancing on hot coals -ATSB style.
Although I use the word ‘style’ very loosely indeed; ‘cos there ain’t much of it on display in the Hotham report. This type of writing may very well be deliberate, an attempt to confuse the legal eagles. It is an awful hodge-podge of a tea time story with mother and a very technical appraisal which sounds too ‘complex’ for the layman to comprehend. Of course it is neither – it is simply of no practical value to any operations department trying to ensure that there is no repeat of a similar situation. There are lessons to be learnt here; for instance a standard company protocol written into an operations manual on how to behave when there are more than two aircraft arriving at an approach in instrument conditions. Doesn’t need to be complex, (a simple SOP) just a general ‘guide’ - advice if you will, to cover that rare occasion where, outside controlled airspace, in IMC there could be a conflict or distraction.
This report indicates that there was no technical appraisal made of the equipment functionality, yet the wording seems to confirm that the GPS unit was faulty: there is no published result of investigation into the GPS, the autopilot; or the GPS /auto-pilot coupling; let alone the pilot’s operating practice. RAIM fails to get a mention despite being of critical importance.
There is however much dancing around the airspace Daisies, to the point where feet get tangled and comedy becomes farce which, when aligned with the lack of Met data and no TAFOR – the report starts to look like another instance of a three year delay being used as standard top cover. ATSB knowing full well that time will dull memory and blunt interest. Except in this case, the ghosts of the Essendon tragedy are quietly awaiting their turn for a twirl around the dance floor with the ATSB Spin Meister to the tune of ‘Believe it if you like’.
Toot -toot.
Although I use the word ‘style’ very loosely indeed; ‘cos there ain’t much of it on display in the Hotham report. This type of writing may very well be deliberate, an attempt to confuse the legal eagles. It is an awful hodge-podge of a tea time story with mother and a very technical appraisal which sounds too ‘complex’ for the layman to comprehend. Of course it is neither – it is simply of no practical value to any operations department trying to ensure that there is no repeat of a similar situation. There are lessons to be learnt here; for instance a standard company protocol written into an operations manual on how to behave when there are more than two aircraft arriving at an approach in instrument conditions. Doesn’t need to be complex, (a simple SOP) just a general ‘guide’ - advice if you will, to cover that rare occasion where, outside controlled airspace, in IMC there could be a conflict or distraction.
This report indicates that there was no technical appraisal made of the equipment functionality, yet the wording seems to confirm that the GPS unit was faulty: there is no published result of investigation into the GPS, the autopilot; or the GPS /auto-pilot coupling; let alone the pilot’s operating practice. RAIM fails to get a mention despite being of critical importance.
There is however much dancing around the airspace Daisies, to the point where feet get tangled and comedy becomes farce which, when aligned with the lack of Met data and no TAFOR – the report starts to look like another instance of a three year delay being used as standard top cover. ATSB knowing full well that time will dull memory and blunt interest. Except in this case, the ghosts of the Essendon tragedy are quietly awaiting their turn for a twirl around the dance floor with the ATSB Spin Meister to the tune of ‘Believe it if you like’.
Toot -toot.