With my head firmly on the chopping block, neck well and truely exposed and my fingers next to the fire....................
Here goes.
One can almost bet that conditions were a tad on the warn side.
Even with 4 light persons on board and some fuel, a 44 is not really the machine for low slow flight over what sounds like unfriendly country.
Companies still get the job using aircraft that can only just get away with it.
Companies still give the job to the cheapest bidder.
It won't be long and the insurance companies will be calling the shots as to what aircaft does the job or it won't be covered for that type of work.
Companies looking to use helicopters will start saying they want very positive power margins in case it gets into some kind of trouble, their "duty of care" to their employees. Of course they won't be too interested in paying for and there will be people who will do the job for crappy money "just to keep it working".
I do wonder if things will get any better.
No that my rant is over, at least there are more NEW machines coming into the country these days. Very pleasing to see...........