The darkness of Probs, Tempos or Inters

I've got to say it again. Five (I think) amendments into the DEST/ALTN weather requirements and a restructuring of the ETOPS rules and it's still clear as mud.

Here's a few thoughts:

The non-use of Prob/Tempo/Inter are clearly stated (1-1-1 4.1 A a) not to be considered for DEST forecast visibility. I can follow that. But cloud must be forecast (1-1-2 4.1 A b) at/above the appropriate MDA for a non ILS approach. Presumably PTI apply?

Then we moved down to destination ALTN weather at 4.1 C. No comment here about PTI, except that it refers you to the Notes for calculating the applicable minima.

Move down to 4.1 D and the calculation for the minima for filing as an ALTN. It's worth pointing out that after para D comes paras E-G so the Notes appended here refer to para D, not to section 4 in toto. Here, at an indented Note 6 to a para on Calculation, not application, we have a comment that PTI may be ignored, provided they are at/above the applicable published landing minima. So that would apply to both visibility and weather? If this applies to ALTN weather, it should be clearly stated at para C. If that note in para D applies to para C, it equally applies to para A, hence to cloud ceiling for a non-Precision Approach.

On the subject on Calculation, move back up to Table A and the direction regarding MDH. Consider that Boyd in "Grammar for the Great and Small" stated that "The test of a parenthesis is whether the other words make sense without it." Remove the parenthesised words - (two least restrictive) - and you get nonsense.

Actually the whole Notes section was a mess. Most of these notes did not belong to Calculation. At last some policy items have moved to Policy sections but still... Note 4 re BKN/OVC appeared at 4.1 A b so equally it belongs at 4.1 C. Note 6 re PTI belongs at 4.1 C.

One final thought on the subject of PTI; what about ETOPS alternates? Para F tells us that ETOPS Alternates must comply with Minima for Filing as an Alternate, so that tells us which numbers to use but nothing about the weather. For that, we need to turn a few pages out of the Flight Planning Weather section into the ETOPS section at 2-1-2 2.3 A. Here, we read that both ceiling and visibility are considered but no guidance on PTI. So do we conclude that, as a change from the PROB40 of last year, all PTI are now considered? Who knows.

At least a 60 min airport has become policy but what is an adequate airport? That doesn't get defined until you reach the ETOPS section at 2-1-1 2.2 A! So the use of a non-ETOPS airfield requires a definition provided for an ETOPS airfield.

Comparative: para 4.1 B b, you can only have the more distant between only two points.

ETOPS. Some big changes here. Presumably now MEL equipment items receive the same consideration as all others? A couple of other minor points: 2-1-2 2.3 A, "the crosswind at the time of intended operation will be at or above the operating minima." I hope not. 2-1-4 5.2, and now we are airborne, the weather must be above, not at/above, landing minima?

Talking of definitions, what's the Planning Stage? We know when dispatch is: 1-1-1 para 2. We know we need minimum planned contingency fuel, 1-2-3 para 3.1 B b. But when is that? The next piece of guidance is "once in flight, an aircraft may continue towards destination... [with] sufficient fuel available to proceed from present position to destination." 1-2-9 para 4. No CONT. But what do I need at sitting on a taxiway waiting to get airborne?

And on the subject of clarity ... 3-3-11 takes the time to clarify "Clear" and its misuse. Move down the page to Operating Practice and "when cleared to radar departure control." Ohps. More clarity: 3-2-9 7.4 B b "Holdover times must not exceed the times indicated in the Guide." Turn the page, 3-2-11 below Table 2 "When the holdover time has expired, a visual inspection must be performed."

Why is it that when given to a climb to a FL, we remain on QNH until the Transition Altitude yet when given a descent to an Altitude, we instantly set QNH even when tens of thousands of feet above Transition Level?

One of these days, I'm going to get to wet/damp/etc.