Westland Wessex ready for operations

[RAF_Quantum]

Hi Guys,

I am pleased to inform you that the Wessex fleet is ready to commence ops.

Bases

Sumburgh (EGPB) 3 x Wessex
Aberdeen (EGPD) 3 x Wessex
North Denes (EGSD) 3 x Wessex
Humberside* (EGNJ) 2 x Wessex

* Please note Humberside is being used as a substitue for Paull until we can twist someone's arm to make a scenery for us

Oil Rigs

You will find flightplans to/from sixty oil rigs. The majority of flightplans are in a triangular route to enable a small hop between rigs before you return to the mainland. Where rigs are isolated or are very close to the mainland they are planned as a two way A to B and back.

Training

Standard rules apply, please ensure your competence on the aircraft and platform landings before requesting Type Rating.

aircraft.cfg Load stations

Please do not attempt to adjust load on the aircraft or you will find adverse handling qualities.

Enjoy!

Rgds

John

[Chris Trott]

Sign me up already!

[Trev Clark]

Thanks John, I am still a little nervous as I not done the VA thing before and with rotary ops too :think: I will spend a while doing some training flying the FP's, the actual Wessex is not a problem, just keeping to these rules is new ;-)

[DaveB]

Hi Trev,

Think of it like this mate.. most of what could or might happen in FlyNET doesn't apply to Helo Ops. You're not gonna get caught exceeding 25kts on the ground while taxiing, you don't have to worry about turning your landing lights off above FL100 and unless you have a different version to the rest of us, you are immune from exceeding 250kts below FL100 Landing gear failure isn't gonna happen neither is flap failure. The worst you can hope for is an engine failure and I doubt that would happen.

So.. make sure your landing lights are ON before you leave the ground and that's your lot!

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Trev Clark]

I was just a bit confused about the network thinking I was landing on the wrong 'runway' of a helipad if I do not line up at exactly the heading of the AFCAD 'runway' on the pad. ATC cannot tell the difference from runways or pads.

[RAF_Quantum]

Hi Trev,

FlyNET just checks you are at the right location at start of the flight and at the end of the flight by comparing your lat/lon with the database lat/lon for the airports. There is considerable leeway and basically checks which airport is nearest to your location. The only problems arise if a small airport is very close to a large airport you are flying to/from and you park on the large airport at a point which is nearer to the lat/lon of the smaller airport. If you are starting a flight it will say you are at the wrong location and won't let you fly. If you get it at the end of the flight it will record you landing at wrong airport with a penalty and no earnings. You should have no probs with the rigs as the designated lat/lons are the helipads themselves. The mainland heli bases have no other airports close enough to give any probs. If you like, I can set up a couple of training flights for you on FlyNET. These will still give you a penalty if you incur any but have no impact on VA finances if things go pear shaped for you, which I don't think they will. Once you get your first flight under your belt you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.

Rgds

John

[Trev Clark]

Hi John, yes please. The finance thing was my main concern to start with, my lack of VA experience did not really give me the confidence to start 'live'.

[RAF_Quantum]

Hi,

4 x 'three leg' Wessex training flights added to flightplans. Flight numbers CBFT631/632/633/634. Training flights are highlighted 'green'.

rgds

John

[Trev Clark]

Hi John, I just flew a single leg to check things out, nearly got caught out on fuel consumption (headwind :roll: ) though!

Do you load a flight plan (MS GPS only) before going to Flynet, the screen option seemed blocked once I was at the start point. Although I have no AP, it is a help having a GPS guide line to follow when there are so many rigs so close together.

I think it may take the rotary wing pilots a very long to gain promotion with these VFR no AP flights

[RAF_Quantum]

Hi Trev,

Here is link to updated panel which will give you the full autopilot.

http://www.simshed.com/download/WessexPanel.asp


Here is web page with instructions for use of the ap.

http://www.simshed.co.uk/autopilot/Autopilot.html

These links were buried in an earlier Simshed Wessex thread.Here.

I can't help re MS GPS, FSNav man myself. Edit : After you select to fly booked flight, the client blocks access to 'Flights' and 'Aircraft' so yes, you will have to sort your plan out and load it first.

Rgds

John