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In 1997 (ish) an S76B model driven by one RS was faced with a fire warning that would not extinguish after both bottles had been discharged. The RFM said 'ditch'. He chose not to and landed safely on a nearby platform. What would the outcome have been had he chosen to ditch in a rough sea and a large number of pax on board?
I made the comment at the time that if a pilot arrives at the correct decision by disobeying the RFM then something needs to be done to rectify the situation. What happened - NOTHING CHANGED. Everyone involved in regulation and operation was too scared of the lawyers to change the checklist to one that read -
If the FW Light illuminates, select idle
and check for signs of fire.
Our 139 RFM invites you to Land As Soon As Practical following a Hyd System Failiure but we follow the Good Chopper Pilots Guide* and recommend Land As Soon As Possible. You just don't know what's going on back there.
*An unpublished document based on years of PPruners contribution to a fullsome debate on the many aspects of safety that concern us.
G
