Originally Posted by
tdracer
I was about to ask if this helicopter had a CVR/FDR (but figured I should go back a few pages to see if it was already answered).
Which sort of begs the question, why not? I would think any aircraft that is being operated "for hire" should be so equipped...
I have flown helicopters which were latterly retro-fitted with CVR/FDR but fitting them cannot directly prevent an accident per se. Obviously, a rule change could be introduced, based on the findings from CVR/FDR after an accident has taken place, but it might not have any bearing on future accidents such as this one.
However, had the aircraft been fitted with a TAWS, it might well have made a difference, if the pilot chose to act upon any terrain warning given and was able to act upon it. Having said that, the TAWS in some helicopters seems to be based around fixed wing parameters and can give spurious and distracting warnings when fitted to a helicopter going about its normal business of landing off airports (as sometimes does the one fitted to the aircraft I fly).