Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
ATD MoT
Text
Provision be made for continuous weather information to be available from key areas such as the McKinnon Pass and the Upper Hollyford Valley to ensure that the normal VFR weather minima could be observed while transiting the passes.
Reply Text
The Acting General Manager has examined this recommendation and respectfully rejects it.
The operators use all available weather information available in the area. Information is obtained from the guides in the National Park on VHF and from fishing boats on HF. In addition weather information is obtained from the NZ Met Service. Each aircraft passes the significant weather at each reporting point if considered necessary.
The first aircraft out in the morning departs under the VFR weather minima and if the weather falls below the VFR minima the aircraft returns to the point of departure. As this results in loss of revenue operators will not despatch if there is any likelihood of the flight having to return because of weather.
Automatic weather reporting stations are possible but at a cost of $100,000.00 (capital) per station as recommended. This cost is beyond the capability of the operators to fund.
The operators use all available weather information available in the area. Information is obtained from the guides in the National Park on VHF and from fishing boats on HF. In addition weather information is obtained from the NZ Met Service. Each aircraft passes the significant weather at each reporting point if considered necessary.
The first aircraft out in the morning departs under the VFR weather minima and if the weather falls below the VFR minima the aircraft returns to the point of departure. As this results in loss of revenue operators will not despatch if there is any likelihood of the flight having to return because of weather.
Automatic weather reporting stations are possible but at a cost of $100,000.00 (capital) per station as recommended. This cost is beyond the capability of the operators to fund.
Related Investigation(s)