Originally Posted by
ShyTorque
Another tragic loss. I must admit that in the past I have dissuaded my own immediate family from flying on sightseeing trips such as this one, in at least three different countries. Having assessed the overall risks involved I just didn't want them unknowingly exposed to them. As someone who has earned my living flying helicopters, I wish I didn't have reason to say that.
What criteria are going into your evaluation?
I find myself in an odd position here as someone who very recently recommended the tourist flight in NYC to friends for a summer trip. I did it many year back and it's a great flight. For layout reasons I'd told them to go Bell. I had mentioned these photography flights as I know a friend who did one but assumed the price would be way too much for my friends. I thought the photography flights were two PAX only and knew they were using harnesses but hadn't thought much about how the harnesses worked nor how they would work under mental or physical stress or if anchor point was submerged/not level.
If I was living in NYC I suspect I would have had a ride on one of these photography flights as I do enjoy doors off flying (in the summer).
Returning to the accident itself, one factor that hasn't been mentioned much is the surprise/shock/panic for PAX from the MR hitting the water, looks like about 4s after the big splash.