Gidday Squeek,
Mark six's compatriots comments where spot on. Being one of the past employees of NAH (albeit quite a while ago) so I can confirm that they should be applauded for taking on new guys.
However, once in the new pilot becomes part of an organisation that has no initial or continuing training for the work they do. Management spout safety propaganda and then operate in the exact opposite manner. The standard of piloting skill they allow on jobs is simply dangerous. Guys with bare B47 ratings who are R22 trained and still are struggling with the throttle/collective correlation are introduced to operations too difficult for their ability. It all comes down to there unwillingness to pay for pilots with more experience.
This is not the first over-pitch incident the company has had and it will not be the last. In late '99 I watched one of their pilots overpitch onto Jabiru airport with subsequent skid damage. This year they lost an R22 mustering and the previous year it is alleged a pilot flew an R22 into the ground while in Day VFR. Form your own conclusion.
As for my inquiry causing "damaging comments to a fragile industry" I challenge you to consider the damage one death due to incompetence will make to the other piston contacts that operators of the NT rely on for income. The NT government contracts are some of the only ones that turbine machines are not always a requirement. I made a lot of firm friendships with the people I flew around the NT and my real concern is for their safety.
Fly safe