Introduction
1. What is your name?
Name
Mats Henricson
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Organisation Represented
Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)
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7. Please provide your feedback on the proposal here.
feedback
SAS do not normally allow operation to an aerodrome without instrument approach procedure(s), hence VFR aerodromes. However, Flight Operations may grant
exemption from this rule. I believe other major airlines have the same policy/rule. Therefore, on these special non-revenue delivery flights to St Athan, the
absence of an instrument approach procedure is not critical from an regulatory perspective. However, the lack of instrument approach procedure naturally makes
operations to the aerodrome more vulnerable in case of bad weather. Weather forecasts for St Athan are often varying considerably over a day making
predictability whether or not a VFR landing will be possible at ETA difficult. I have several times been forced to divert to Cardiff and wait for weather improvement
due to visibility and/or cloud base being below VFR landing minima at St Athan. Sometimes this has resulted in an unplanned overnight stop. Of course this
causes irregularities, increased operating costs (fuel, handling fees, hotel, transportation, rebooking of tickets home etc) and delayed crew who were supposed to
go back to their main base for other production the next day.
I would say that an operating ILS is definitely a huge improvement to flight safety, operational stability that could affect customers choice of MRO.
exemption from this rule. I believe other major airlines have the same policy/rule. Therefore, on these special non-revenue delivery flights to St Athan, the
absence of an instrument approach procedure is not critical from an regulatory perspective. However, the lack of instrument approach procedure naturally makes
operations to the aerodrome more vulnerable in case of bad weather. Weather forecasts for St Athan are often varying considerably over a day making
predictability whether or not a VFR landing will be possible at ETA difficult. I have several times been forced to divert to Cardiff and wait for weather improvement
due to visibility and/or cloud base being below VFR landing minima at St Athan. Sometimes this has resulted in an unplanned overnight stop. Of course this
causes irregularities, increased operating costs (fuel, handling fees, hotel, transportation, rebooking of tickets home etc) and delayed crew who were supposed to
go back to their main base for other production the next day.
I would say that an operating ILS is definitely a huge improvement to flight safety, operational stability that could affect customers choice of MRO.