Hi All,

Was just wondering if I could pick someone's brain...

In question 9 of the General Questions it states that the correct answer is that SARWATCH is automatically cancelled after the aircraft lands, could anyone point me in the direction of an AIP reference or the correct working, I have looked in the AIP but I guess I am missing something

In question 5, talks of Victoria River Downs Holding pattern Max speed as being 170 knots, I have had a look in the ERSA and ERC, but cannot find anything that would make this a CAT A or B Limiting hold, so surely the limit would be 230 knots up until FL140 as per AIP 1.5-3.2.1?

Sitting the exam early next week and trying to wrap up any last areas of confusion

Thanks in advance

There is a difference between 'SARWATCH' and 'SARTIME'. AIP ENR 1.10 para 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3. VFR aircraft may operate on SARTIME. That is, they nominate a time at which SAR action will be initiated if the pilot has not cancelled it. IFR flights cannot operate on a SARTIME except a very limited 30 minute SARTIME for departure from an aerodrome where contact with ATS is not considered likely from ground level.

Otherwise all IFR flights must operate on full radio reporting procedures where SARWATCH is initiated on receipt of the taxi call and based on a subsequent departure call, en route position reports and arrival reports. Those reports are given directly to an ATS unit and each unit is then responsible for the SARWATCH.

When an IFR flight arrives at a towered aerodrome, the tower has watched the flight land so there is no need to cancel the SARWATCH. However, at a non towered aerodrome, an arrival report to the responsible ATS unit is required to cancel SARWATCH.

Victoria River Downs had an NDB approach for CAT A and B aircraft only until the last DAP amendment. It looks like it has been decommissioned. Thanks for that feed-back. I'll change that question.

Bob