I have ascertained that the exercise that was being flown was one of tail rotor control failure. Everything was 'normal' until the rotation started when throttle was used to control the turn. No effect, just increasing rate of turn and pedals, which were used early in an attempt to arrest the turn (abort the exercise) had no effect.
I have been on the phone this morning and have confirmation that one of the Durban instructors, not involved in the thread accident, was given written notification yesterday that his EC-120 Instructors rating has been withdrawn until he has provided documentary proof from Eurocopter SA that he has undergone the full training required for the qualification of the instructors rating on the EC-120 helicopter.
Now the interesting issue is that this instructor was given his rating by the late Tony Ubsdell who had just returned from the Eurocopter Factory Course more than 5 years ago. He has been flying the EC-120 regularly since then. It is understood that at the time, Tony was the only EC-120 Factory Approved Instructor in the country. Furthermore, this instructor's EC-130 instructors rating seems to still be valid!?
Now I am really confused! What is the issue here? Fenestron or just EC-120? Could the "marketing youngster from Eurocopter" please give us some information as to what the real issue is here. CAA should also shed some light on exactly what the real issue is.
I am led to believe that there is a 'video' with some important gen on it about fenestron effects but nobody has access to this video but a chosen few.
Now if there are issues about the fenestron and in particular the EC-120 that the CAA are aware of and that Eurocopter are also aware of and this is of such relevance that "in the interests of public safety" selected instructors have had their validations withdrawn, should communication from Eurocopter/CAA not be sent out to ALL EC-120 users/pilots/operators informing them of this issue "in the interests of public safety"???
Smells so bad my eyes are beginning to water!!!