Just wanted to know what you experieced guys think about this subject.
If you fly HEMS here in Sweden you have two engines, two hydsystems, 2 pair of eyes (plus 2 in the back), and you mostly fly in the height/velocity area where an autorotation could be performed. Sure you fly advanced IFR, but you have an experienced captain with you.
If you fly powerlineinspections you go around in a EC120 or Jetranger, with one engine and if the guy spinning the wheels in the back (ie engine) decides to quit for the day, you have very limited possibilities to do anything about it, and below you is a 100% hostile environment consisting of high volt powercables. You are also totallt depending on your own abilty to spot dangers during the flight.
Since I'm in the middle of my ATPL studies I have a very idealised view on the helicopterbusiness now
But is it really reasonable to do these kinds of jobs with just one engine ? I think it's very strange, EVEN if "it's the way it always has been", which happens to be the most popular answer to this question.
best regards
RotorSwede
I know it's a matter of cost and so on, but I'm looking for a "deeper" look into all this from ppl that have been around for a while.