JackKnife
8th Jul 2017, 07:27
Helicopter clips trees at Bellarine Peninsula winery Jack Rabbit (http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/subscribe/news/1/index.html?sourceCode=GAWEB_MRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=http:%2F%2Fwww.geelongadvertiser.com.au%2Fnews%2Fgeelon g%2Fhelicopter-clips-trees-at-bellarine-peninsula-winery-jack-rabbit%2Fnews-story%2F360e0820fb804458f105dee356c84891&memtype=anonymous)
A HELICOPTER pilot’s rough landing at a Bellarine Peninsula winery caused diners to “run for cover” as the chopper’s blades cut through the trees.
A Geelong man captured the “ordinary landing” at Jack Rabbit Winery during lunch with his family on Tuesday, and said bits of the tree were sent flying.
While no one was hurt in the incident, staff at the winery said they had taken the matter seriously and would remove the tree, and that the helicopter company was also conducting it’s own internal investigation.
The man, who did not wish to be named, was filming the helicopters fly into the popular winery when he captured the moment the pilot landed too close to the greenery.
“We were surprised to see it keep coming and coming and then it just clips the tree, sending debris flying all over the deck. We ran for cover,” he said.
“There were only four of us on the deck and we scattered as stuff from the tree splattered everywhere. It’s pretty good footage.”
Pictures taken after the hairy landing show where the tree has been cut, with the shrub looking a little shorter than before.
He said the “surprising” ordeal was not enough to put them off as they were so impressed with the food and service they returned the next day.
“It wasn’t the winery’s fault by any means, I think they were all a bit surprised too,” he said.
“But I was thinking later ‘gee’, it was quite astonishing and it didn’t want to have gone any further as it could have been really bad.”
Winery owner Lyndsay Sharp said as a precaution, the helicopter company left the chopper at the venue and the pilot flew the patrons back on another one “just to be extra cautious”.
“We were totally compliant as we always are with helicopters ... you can see in the video the area they land in is pretty big,” she said.
“We will, to be absolutely 100 per cent, over the top safe, take that tree down.
“We do take these things very seriously. I’ve spoken to the helicopter company and they’re conducting a full internal investigation into it, because obviously safety is paramount to them as well.”
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/f7600574205e12d4f200e3ab4d9851ac?width=650
Bethany Tyler, Geelong Advertiser
July 7, 2017 4:39pm
A HELICOPTER pilot’s rough landing at a Bellarine Peninsula winery caused diners to “run for cover” as the chopper’s blades cut through the trees.
A Geelong man captured the “ordinary landing” at Jack Rabbit Winery during lunch with his family on Tuesday, and said bits of the tree were sent flying.
While no one was hurt in the incident, staff at the winery said they had taken the matter seriously and would remove the tree, and that the helicopter company was also conducting it’s own internal investigation.
The man, who did not wish to be named, was filming the helicopters fly into the popular winery when he captured the moment the pilot landed too close to the greenery.
“We were surprised to see it keep coming and coming and then it just clips the tree, sending debris flying all over the deck. We ran for cover,” he said.
“There were only four of us on the deck and we scattered as stuff from the tree splattered everywhere. It’s pretty good footage.”
Pictures taken after the hairy landing show where the tree has been cut, with the shrub looking a little shorter than before.
He said the “surprising” ordeal was not enough to put them off as they were so impressed with the food and service they returned the next day.
“It wasn’t the winery’s fault by any means, I think they were all a bit surprised too,” he said.
“But I was thinking later ‘gee’, it was quite astonishing and it didn’t want to have gone any further as it could have been really bad.”
Winery owner Lyndsay Sharp said as a precaution, the helicopter company left the chopper at the venue and the pilot flew the patrons back on another one “just to be extra cautious”.
“We were totally compliant as we always are with helicopters ... you can see in the video the area they land in is pretty big,” she said.
“We will, to be absolutely 100 per cent, over the top safe, take that tree down.
“We do take these things very seriously. I’ve spoken to the helicopter company and they’re conducting a full internal investigation into it, because obviously safety is paramount to them as well.”
http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/f7600574205e12d4f200e3ab4d9851ac?width=650
Bethany Tyler, Geelong Advertiser
July 7, 2017 4:39pm