The OTHER Kevin in San Diego wrote:
On Thu, 6 Oct 2005 11:18:37 +0100, "Simon Robbins"
wrote:


"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net wrote in
message ...

The DPE told me when he gave me my temporary certificate, "This is
your license to learn; that's it! Use it well." I'd have to say he
hit that one right on the head.

Sounds to me like the EMS guy wasn't entirely on the ball either, so on the
assumption he's on a good deal more hours, the learning never stops.
Trouble is, when you get to that kind of level for EMS jobs, do you stop
analysing those events or accept the lesson? Putting it simply, do you
think he went away thinking he made a mistake, or moaned for the rest of the
day about the "unknown helicopter" that cut him up!?


My guess would be option B. I'm not sure what kind of range a TCAS
has, but I'm pretty sure they work in conjunction with operating
transpoders on other aircraft. My transponder was definitely on and
squawking 1200 so I have no idea how he missed me unless the range on
his gear (or his attention span) was very very short.

High time guys sometimes make basic mistakes too, and most of them
are smart enough to realize when they're wrong and figure out what
they did wrong (whether that's right away or later on...). You are a
low time guy but you have enough sense of perspective to look at
everything and assign or take blame and responsibility where it is
due. Not too bad!

I'm still annoyed with myself for making a "newbie" mistake but after
mulling it over last night, I'm thinking what you stated. Not blaming
the other pilot, but it sure seems like his head wasn't entirely in
the game and mine certainly wasn't beginning at 8 miles out.

Like your DPE told you, these things happen and we've all been there.

Try looking at it this way: you had your priorities (maintaining
situational awareness and keeping track of the other aircraft) and
rechecking the winds was less important right at that moment (you'd
checked the ATIS less than ten minutes prior). True, double checking
the windsock one last time on final is always important, but I think
your basic decision making was sound. What went most wrong was the
other aircraft created a distraction and that made you miss the wind
shift. Missing the updated winds when you first checked in at 10
miles, by itself that's not too bad (not too good either of course)
because usually you have that windsock double check to back yourself up.

Besides, the control tower should automatically give you winds with
your landing clearance.

Don't be too hard on yourself, sometimes things stack up and you just
gotta solve the problem and get over it. Cheer up