One-Half Mile Visibility Is Insufficient

[maxtorqe]

so are we talking 1/2 statute mile or 1/2 nautical mile? this whole discussion is a bit of a joke, If your in a low-vis situation and you are trying to figure out if its a 1/2 mile or not, it probably time to re-evaluate your decision making and piloting skills!

[skullcap]

[why

[Over-Talk]

QUOTE: " If your in a low-vis situation and you are trying to figure out if its a 1/2 mile or not, it probably time to re-evaluate your decision making and piloting skills!"

 

Huh????????

 

Surely, determining whether you are in 1/2 mile visibility or not is what pilot judgement and decision making is all about.

 

(by the way, visibility is measured in statute miles......1/2 mile is 2640 feet).

[cyclic monkey]

It is difficult (and unwise) to try to count the seconds per distance that you are flying during poor visibility conditions.

So here is an easy way to test your skills at assessing what a 1/2 mile should look like......(even high-time old dogs should try this).

 

On a good visibility day, pick an object in the distance and fly towards it at 60mph (52 knots).

It will take 30 seconds to reach the object if it was 1/2 mile away.

How did you do?

 

I suggest 60 mph not because it is easy to do the maths (i.e. 1 mile per minute), but because 60 mph is a good speed to use when flying in poor visibility. If you have to fly slower than that, the weather is less than 1/2 mile; and if you are flying faster than that, the weather is quite good....or you are pushing your luck!!

 

Assessing 1/2 mile is not hard.

Being comfortable with telling your customers or boss that you have reached that limit can be harder.

 

So set your limit, and announce professionally and politely when you have reached it. Then turn around.

That's easy.

A wishy-washy pilot with 'flexible' limits will get walked-on until something tragic happens.

 

All pilots will have different comfort levels and personal flying 'limits', depending on many factors.

For your personal reduced visibility limit, why not just use the limit in the CARs, and your Ops Manual?............1/2 mile!

[Helilog56]

Could not have said it better CM.....helps also when companies establish a minimum speed that an aircraft must maintain in poor vis. We use 50kts for the cranes!

[HeliRico]

shurely when confronted for so many day's by poor weather , and, an arguing , late , cocky , outta budget , pissed off Geologist that whant things to happen , the preesure become too much off a factor to call it safe ...

 

Ohh ! I forgot about "The pilot beffore you did it .."

[Grasshopper]

Right on, CM! Best advice on this issue yet.

[skullcap]

It is difficult (and unwise) to try to count the seconds per distance that you are flying during poor visibility conditions.

So here is an easy way to test your skills at assessing what a 1/2 mile should look like......(even high-time old dogs should try this).

 

On a good visibility day, pick an object in the distance and fly towards it at 60mph (52 knots).

It will take 30 seconds to reach the object if it was 1/2 mile away.

How did you do?

 

I suggest 60 mph not because it is easy to do the maths (i.e. 1 mile per minute), but because 60 mph is a good speed to use when flying in poor visibility. If you have to fly slower than that, the weather is less than 1/2 mile; and if you are flying faster than that, the weather is quite good....or you are pushing your luck!!

 

Assessing 1/2 mile is not hard.

Being comfortable with telling your customers or boss that you have reached that limit can be harder.

 

So set your limit, and announce professionally and politely when you have reached it. Then turn around.

That's easy.

A wishy-washy pilot with 'flexible' limits will get walked-on until something tragic happens.

 

All pilots will have different comfort levels and personal flying 'limits', depending on many factors.

For your personal reduced visibility limit, why not just use the limit in the CARs, and your Ops Manual?............1/2 mile!

 

 

Not sure if you think I have "wishy washy" or "flexible" limits....would you go do a landing on top of Mt Robson with 1/2 mile vis....my point is that you have to be able to have a limit(1/2 mile) and have to be able to stand up and say no when it is 9 miles in whiteout.

[FREDDIE]

One thing to remember your customer may not be as comfortable as you are.When it is ugly out I always let them know if they don't like the conditions to let me know. 9 times out of 10 they are ready to go home before I am.