Bottom line while the PAT crew made some technical errors, they were not behaving in an unprofessional manner and were accomplishing their assigned mission in the manner to which they were accustomed, and the manner in which the SYSTEM had defined.

The SYSTEM comprises a variety of agencies, but only one had the PRIMARY duty to ensure safety of civilian traffic, and also the data and tools to do so: Boeing.

Just kidding PNWFlyer, this one was obviously on the FAA. They even had staff complaining about it for YEARS.

In addition to everything else going on, the allowable altimeter variation on PAT was very wide relative to the operational limits to which they were subjected.

And I don't believe the IP called traffic in sight just to get ATC off his back, I *assume* he was looking at the other airliner's lights (on goggles).

Ask yourself this... if they just blamed the helo crew and washed their hands of the whole thing, would anything actually change? Other than all of us being extra paranoid when talking to Potomac?