The Chinook Accident
Gentlemen,
There has been a great deal of Politics on this board about this Chinook Accident on the West Coast of Scotland. But perhaps those unfortunate People who lost their lives and their families are entitled to some sort of reply, and YES a great deal of Compensation-- from whoever is responsible !!!
Who tasked this Aircraft-- ( even worse Helicopter) to fly so many security experts in the same Helicopter (not even fixed wing)??
It was clearly known by the operator MOD and the assigned crew that some deficiencies existed with on board software systems, related to engine performance and possibly Navigation.- and yet it was tasked--
The crew presumably decided on the flight profile? To fly direct / Off route, almost certainly below the minimum safe level for a critical portion of the flight. Below off route Radar coverage, and possibly out of communication with even a military unit, for some if not most of the en-route phase.
Then why not choose a longer en-route phase via Airways and within Radar and communication cover for this type of flight, also at a LEVEL which ensured irrespective of weather or Terrain a safe profile.
What happened to the Emergency RT calls that all was not well, have we or anyone outside MOD seen chapter and verse on this accident. ?? Did it carry Black box Recorders ?? Will it happen again??
I live near to RAF Odiham and over a number of years have observed the Flying style of Civil Helicopters and their Military counterparts over the area en-route to H3 at Bagshot, Now tell me Military guys why you need to fly at significantly lower levels over Residential and local high ground areas than the minimum levels legally permitted for civil Helicopter flying. You are not at all times on operational sorties but frequently on Comms. flights Joining an enroute Heli Lane (H3). You should perhaps in this accident case accept that your fellow Officers have in reaching their conclusions over this Chinnok accident , not had an easy task- to reach their conclusion Pilot Negligence.
But what is almost certain is that the House of Lords are not Aviation Experts- but have nevertheless in their inimitable style deliberated. They do aviation no favours in this respect.
Let us all see the facts - let us be assured that lessons will be learned for the future-- certainly the Victims families as innocent Passengers are entitled to know much more of the circumstances surrounding this accident. - in my view they are entitled to proper compensation, proper accountability. The rush to overturn the MOD findings appears to have forgotten this aspect.
I submit my views , which are my opinion and which will inevitably be contested in many circles, but no more and no less than the deliberations recently exercised on this board or within the House of Lords recently.
Last edited by mikeran; 1st Apr 2002 at 20:41.