B2N2 - amusing that you as a non-helicopter pilot can accurately assess the safety of that flight when a number of us that do fly helicopters for a living (the clue is in the name of the forum, Rotorheads) say it is inherently unsafe.
He is only in a position to make a safe engine off landing without hazard to others for about 5% of that flight - the rest of the time he and the kid in the front would be in a pretty horrific accident if the engine stopped/drivebelt failed etc.