I have some questions that you're the most likely person to know the answers to. Ward reads the comments by the Coast Guard pilot, and they touch on specifics I'm curious about. In a way, I'm asking you to pass judgement on the helo crew's actions, and if you don't want to do that, I understand.
One, it's probably the helo crews discretion to be on the goggles in an urban environment. What's your take? During normal clear nighttime ops at DCA, no other aircraft in the proximity to DCA has them on, and they see just fine. Is it bad judgement to use them in that context, considering the need to clearly discern the situation around the airport? Next, the comment about washout is something I've wondered about since the mishap occurred. It seems to me NVGs would be an impediment when used in that bright urban setting, reducing the clarity needed to pick out traffic, especially when multiple aircraft on final approaching the helo head on have landing lights on.
Considering the lineup of landing traffic approaching DCA from the south, it seems critical that ATC would provide specific information on the target aircraft to the helo, as in "Traffic at your 12 o'clock, three miles, an RJ on approach to RWY 33." Instead, there was the clearly inadequate "Do you have him in sight?" or similar verbiage. As a rotary wing pilot with ATC experience, can you comment on the failure to use standard callout language? Would you request further clarification from ATC? If you're looking at the stack of lights lined up on the river ahead, is it incumbent upon the helo pilot to make sure which aircraft he sees?
Thanks.