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saw that he did not even have a valid flying licence -
The CAA procedures shortcomings are conveniently glossed over. Anyone who wonders why these reports take a year or more can read this:
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Helcopter Accident
I have just read the report on the Helicopter accident of Colin Mcrae,and his 3 passengers who were killed.I find it sad that 4 people lose their lives in such circumstances,but if you are operating planes and helicopters then you must always have safety as your MAJOR concern.I did hear last year that Colin was not the holder of a licence at the time of the accident,but all the flights do not appear to have been logged either.
Through all of this, now this report is out in the public demain,hopefully the families of the people who lost their lives in this tragic accident can try to move on .Although it must be very difficult to do so.Comment
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The similarities to Graham Hill's plane crash - no current licence means no valid insurance - and the very serious implications for his surviving family are disturbing. Does no one learn from history?Last edited by KL; 12-02-2009, 20:35.Comment
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The concept of "amateur" helicopter pilots is, in any case, very disturbing. The flying costs are horrendous for a privat person and thus it is prohibitive to get in the practice which is needed. This is also why the currency of licenses lapses. Every so often a "rich kid" who can afford the hours gets into one and thinks it is a great thing to show off in because you can land in your mate's garden.
A couple of years ago near to me a rich kid who'd just got his license lost control on hover, and guests on a restaurant patio were suddenly confronted with his tail rotor. Many deaths.
Read the report on the Morecambe Bay crash and you can see that even trained professionals who fly every day under the most demanding oil rig scenarios manage to "simply" fly the chopper into the sea.Comment
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good points das, i had a m8 who gained his privates pilots license (fixed wing) and he got lost on his 1st solo flightOriginally posted by dasadrew View Post
he eventually gave it up due to the high costs involved.
In my time in aviation i carried out 6 or more crash investiagtions on hellicopter engines ranging from pilots flying straight into a side of mountains to going off a rig, the worst one i was involved with was the case of the girl who on her 1st solo parachute jump landed on the rotating blades of a helicopter
and speaking to the caa or faa guys they told me that most crashes are due to pilot error.
Tis a sad time for the families involved when you read the colin's license was out of date but as above many experienced pilots crash.
The most recent and truley saddening case was the two that collided yesterday with those poor two young air cadet girls on board who were just 13 and 16
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Helicopter accidents
Thinking back only a few years reminds us of the tragic accident,involving Bertie Fisher and his family,who as a lot do ,ran into low cloud,got disssorientated and instead of going UP they come down to try to see or get their bearings and then fly into hillsides.
A few years ago ,on holiday in Florida I met the guy ,who with his brother owned the Helicopter hire firm ,that owned the choppers that were used by Annice Rice "Challenge" ..He told me that they always get a report of every helicopter accident,and 99% are "Pilot Error"
Also think about Mike Smith the DJ friend of Noel Edmonds who also had a lucky escape ,again Pilot error!Comment
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Not sure if that was same company who flew for "Treasure Hunt" (the first Anneka Rice programme) - Keith ....? ex-RN, Castle Air Charter (which had some association with the South West hillclimber who ran the Whitsand Bay Hotel in Devon?)Originally posted by driverace View PostComment
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Helicopter accidents
It probably was the same company Keith as he told me they were based in the West Country ,and the older brother had a car dealership.He got banned once or twice and then though if he had an helicopter he could get round the ban,so bought his 1st helicopter.Then expanded the fleet and they had the contract for most of the adverts were helicopters were required.AND they used at least two of their helicopters on "Treasure Hunt"
But as any helicopter pilot wil tell you ,they are a hell of a lot MORE DIFFICULT to fly than any planeComment
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Surname was Castle (hence Castle Air Charter, which should have given me a reminder....). Their helo turned up at Longleat Hillclimb once from Devon just for a look.
I was probably thinking too much about rear shots of a running Anneka Rice in a jumpsuit....Comment
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Yes, it was quite an education to be with one of the RAF's top helo pilots having his initial experience of "flying" the "Iron Bird" CH47 Chinook ground rig at Boeing.Originally posted by driverace View Post
Navigating one, however, is a piece of p*ss for an experienced rally navigator - it has to be when you can follow the OS map looking down on the real world rather than driving along it in only two dimensions. I was as good over Hampshire in a Puma at first attempt as a squadron pilot at spotting ground features and I'm sure any reasonable rally navigator would have been. Then an alternator caption illuminated and all hell broke loose...Comment
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I was recently involved in a big case in London and the Counsel that we used had been involved in many of the helicopter crash cases. He said that having been involved in so many copter crash cases he would never get in one - they are accidents waiting to happen....Last edited by TimGR; 13-02-2009, 20:53.Comment
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the charter firm you are on about is castle air they are based about 2 miles from where i work the helepad is behind the car sales part of the buisness (specialise in top end & exotic stuff) if you have been to cornwall on the a38 fromsaltash to liskeard thats there place with the lightning jet on a stand on thier forecourt beside the road !
the family who own it are called flood.
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Very sad all round , lets hope the families can now move on and get back to some form of normalityComment
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