Originally Posted by Flashover999
Wonder wh they were down that way if they were going Canada as its the complete opposite direction.?
I flew from Blythe to Palm Spings at this time last year and I can remember it being extremly windy and very bummpy around that area, getting much worse as you approached Palm Springs and Banning pass. We had to lay-over for 2 days before we could get through the Banning pass due to the strong/turbulence. I wonder if they got into Turbulence and the Low G environment. Going to be interesting to see the weather reports and PIREP's for the day. Not many people fly around there unless quite high (Fixed wingers).
Thoughts to families.
Flash
Typically for Northeast destinations in Canada, Robinson will assign you a flight plan taking you south of the Rockies and then northeast to your destination.
In Frank Robinson's "Requirements for Pilots Ferrying Helicopters from RHC Factory" letter, it is stated "RHC reserves the right to delay the departure due to weather and to specify the flight route in the event the intended route submitted by the PIC is deemed to be unsafe by RHC."
If you look at the destination in the report, Blenheim, Ontario Canada, the closest airport is Leamington, Ontario (CLM2).
A direct course from Torrance to Leamington would take you straight through the Rockies. I am pretty confident Robinson probably instructed them to fly Easterly past Blythe, through the southwest, and then probably northeast after crossing through Texas.