A two bob Toot..
A simple enough question – to which 100% replied 'Oh yes – several times'.
I have never liked the phrase 'inadvertent excursion into non VMC'. It is a misleading cop out. There is only one time when 'inadvertent' can be used; to wit, at night, on an instrument approach after becoming visual and bumping into a low deck or rain; you can't always see it – particularly when 'circling' or even in the circuit = 100% asked had the experience. So, IMO the humbug excuse often used in reports on daylight, VFR entering IMC 'inadvertently' is a Bollocks.
Malice aforethought is closer to the mean. There, on the 'wires' is the area and aerodrome forecast – it paints a clear enough picture; there are dozens of sources for collecting weather information – and there is a new invention – the telephone which can be used to gain additional information. So, armed with the best information available, you can 'plan' a journey. Go/ See how we go/ No go.
Sensible pilots will (or should) weigh up a couple or three critical elements. The first being do I know the area? Experienced 'local' pilots will know where the traps lay; those not so familiar will up the ante, decide early the best plan to avoid the 'rising terrain – lowering cloud' trap – and find a back door escape route to a coffee and a break. Then there are those who just trust in the gods, Garmin and Pratt and Whitney. There they sit – choofing along @ 2 miles a minute – in marginal conditions; that allows a mere two minutes to decide how best to avoid the cloud and rain they can (or should be able to) see. No plan – blind luck – you know the rest.............This is not an 'inadvertent' act.
It takes time – experience and 'sectors' operated to be able to 'read' the sky as it is, and time to consider the forecast conditions and compare it to what is seen through the front window. Acknowledged; the BoM do get it wrong – countless times expected and planned for an instrument approach only to break out above the start or part way through; not too many instances of missed approach due to the forecast wrong the other way (its happened but I can remember every one of 'em).
There is no simple solution – but the notion that an arbitrary increase in 'minimum hours' will fix it is a crock. Dealing with fatigue, stress and pressure of an early start – a short flight – waiting around all day – late passengers and the weather turning as darkness approaches – etc. All, are part and parcel of sector flight – as any junior charter pilot will tell you; irrespective of the hours in the log book. It would, IMO, be an easy matter to arrange a course to highlight these elements. Knowledge is power, to be aware and to find your own way to deal with these things and form a personal limit strategy - early could just assist in reducing the instances of CFIT due 'inadvertent' operation in non VMC conditions.
Or; the short version – expect and plan for the worst; hope for the best.
Toot – just saying – toot.
A simple enough question – to which 100% replied 'Oh yes – several times'.
I have never liked the phrase 'inadvertent excursion into non VMC'. It is a misleading cop out. There is only one time when 'inadvertent' can be used; to wit, at night, on an instrument approach after becoming visual and bumping into a low deck or rain; you can't always see it – particularly when 'circling' or even in the circuit = 100% asked had the experience. So, IMO the humbug excuse often used in reports on daylight, VFR entering IMC 'inadvertently' is a Bollocks.
Malice aforethought is closer to the mean. There, on the 'wires' is the area and aerodrome forecast – it paints a clear enough picture; there are dozens of sources for collecting weather information – and there is a new invention – the telephone which can be used to gain additional information. So, armed with the best information available, you can 'plan' a journey. Go/ See how we go/ No go.
Sensible pilots will (or should) weigh up a couple or three critical elements. The first being do I know the area? Experienced 'local' pilots will know where the traps lay; those not so familiar will up the ante, decide early the best plan to avoid the 'rising terrain – lowering cloud' trap – and find a back door escape route to a coffee and a break. Then there are those who just trust in the gods, Garmin and Pratt and Whitney. There they sit – choofing along @ 2 miles a minute – in marginal conditions; that allows a mere two minutes to decide how best to avoid the cloud and rain they can (or should be able to) see. No plan – blind luck – you know the rest.............This is not an 'inadvertent' act.
It takes time – experience and 'sectors' operated to be able to 'read' the sky as it is, and time to consider the forecast conditions and compare it to what is seen through the front window. Acknowledged; the BoM do get it wrong – countless times expected and planned for an instrument approach only to break out above the start or part way through; not too many instances of missed approach due to the forecast wrong the other way (its happened but I can remember every one of 'em).
There is no simple solution – but the notion that an arbitrary increase in 'minimum hours' will fix it is a crock. Dealing with fatigue, stress and pressure of an early start – a short flight – waiting around all day – late passengers and the weather turning as darkness approaches – etc. All, are part and parcel of sector flight – as any junior charter pilot will tell you; irrespective of the hours in the log book. It would, IMO, be an easy matter to arrange a course to highlight these elements. Knowledge is power, to be aware and to find your own way to deal with these things and form a personal limit strategy - early could just assist in reducing the instances of CFIT due 'inadvertent' operation in non VMC conditions.
Or; the short version – expect and plan for the worst; hope for the best.
Toot – just saying – toot.