PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - BBC filming guide & BBC criticised for using ENG helicopters too often (merged)
Old 8th March 2005 | 09:37
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headsethair
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 593
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From: UK
The "evolution" of this latest piece of paper goes back to 2003 - particularly the May Hadrian's Wall incident which got a lot of coverage because Alan Titchmarsh wasn't on board......he was on the ground being filmed.
By Nov 2003 (at CAA Small Helicopter Safety Forum), the CAA were raising the issue of LTE.And in Jan 04 they issued the FODCOM. One year later, the BBC issued their own version.
This is typical of the strung-out "logic" involved in Health & Safety - 20 months from incident to paper. And the result doesn't change the risks one iota. It just does the usual fudge of making the problem have different ownership.
LTE is stated as a "cause" of these incidents - but that cannot be the truth. As in 99% of all "loss of control" incidents, the pilot must take some of the blame. Whether it's LTE or Vortex Ring or any of the other "beware" areas, someone didn't pay attention or didn't have the right training.
MJB is right - gyro-stabilisation is the solution, preferably a full 360 which gives you best shot/safety ratio. Even a side-mounted gyro is not the answer. And there's no substitute for RELEVANT experience and currency as a filming pilot.
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