Originally Posted by
Sikpilot
Can you please expand on that? Is it not a good idea to have a set of hands on the throttles for that maneuver? Was a pax in the other front seat or was a helicopter rated pilot in the other front seat? I can't see why a complex twin like that would not have 2 highly trained pilots flying, especially in and out of a highly visible confined area, at night with VIP's.
There is no malfunction in a helicopter that requires an immediate shutdown of an engine, so having a set of hands on an engine control during a flight maneuver is pointless. Whether the crew comprises one or 2 pilots is equally a RFM and regulatory matter. If either requires it, it's required. If only one pilot is required it then becomes the choice of the operator or client whether a 2nd pilot is carried. Having a 2nd pilot on board when a 2nd pilot is not required is extra weight which is unhelpful if you are performance limited. Having a crew of 2 pilots at night is operationally sensible...but I'd rather have the performance to zoom out of a tight spot rather than the extra weight of a 2nd pilot. Tell the boss he has to drive somewhere else and have the helicopter meet him there, rather then struggle out of a confined area...even if you could zoom out of a confined area OEI at night I'd be inclined to suggest the boss to take that drive.
In this instance, my guess, having a 2nd pilot onboard would have had little bearing on the outcome.