Both pilots highlighted that they did not intend to avoid full and free checks, but they felt that they were not achievable in the circumstances having previous experience on the S-61 after failed attempts using batteries.
However, records show that "full and free" was never really done. Post accident, the operator then issued spcific instructions to do "full and free". A later compliance review revealed:
This review identified that the control extremes were mostly but not always being reached; the majority of deviations being associated with a lack of full travel of aft cyclic. The operator considered that this may have been associated with seating positions and physical body shape
Can’t run away from the human factor ...