Try looking at it this way...the decision taken by the Crews of the helicopters in these recent incidents are nothing new.
These incidents are part of normal working NS life and a testetament to the complexity (and often the resilience) of the machines we are flying.
Most of the decisions occur over the sea, and they need to be carefully and logically concluded, relying on the experience and training of the crew.
Let anyone who reads this site be of little doubt that the quality, both in training and experience of offshore helicopter crews and the engineers who maintain them play a significant part in the management and successful outcome of all these seemingly minor incidents.
Right now, we have an aggreesive offshore fiscal policy that is being felt right down to the bottom of the last contracted service.
If the oil Companies need to take something on board it is this...driving down contract prices in the helicopter sector (and many other vital sectors) will lead to a marked deterioration in safety. PERIOD.
DB