Keepitup -- it is important to broaden the topic of discussion.
The hardware alone in these 5 or (as Veeany says) 7 accidents was worth well over a million quid, all of which has been written off.
I own quite a lot of R22s and R44s at the moment, and my insurance premiums next year may well be more next year due (partly) to these crashes.
And I don't think that any of these ones accidents have yet to pay out a personal injury claim.
So I have a vested interest in wanting to reduce the accident rate.
Chopper.al,
although these accidents are all with low time pilots, I know of many others. The following accidents are just from my local airfield.
in 2004 there was this one:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources...GRR%209-05.pdf
in 2007 an instructor bent the tail on a AS355 while practicing single engine landings/take offs
in July 2008 an instructor wrote off a R22 while auto-ing into a field,
in 2008 an instructor allowed a student to overspeed a R22 on start-up
There was also a birdstrike that put a student in hospital as it smashed the screen of a AS355. Now, before you say "hardly anyone's fault" and mindful of the Hudson River incident, I've been in a R44 that also suffered a bird-strike -- and poor look-out (for which I accept TOTAL responsibility) was definately a factor.
and now we have this one.
So that's six expensive accidents, and one terrible fatality just at one airfield. How many more are there that I don't know about? LOADS, I'm sure.
Chopper.al. I'm afraid I disagree with you. Unless the pilot is suicidal (yes, it does happen) we've all got the self-preservation instinct. Bad judgement, bad decisions and "flying in conditions beyond the capability of the pilot" is at the heart of the problem.
Helping to establish the
causes of the problem is the key to saving lives, reducing legislation and minimising insurance premiums.
On-line debates such as this one should help, I hope.
Even if all it does is make you think a little about some of the comments that you may or may not agree with, just as you turn the key/press the button.
Big Ls.