Thanks for the quick replies guys.
SayItIsntSo: Fully understand and agree with your sentiments. I'm leaning towards advising the pilot to ensure that a small handful of 'competant persons' at every possible location he may find himself be given 'awareness instruction' with regards to personnel movement around helicopters with turning rotors and proper operation of doors etc. Not full-fledged handlers perhaps, but competant to ensure safe passenger embarkation and disembarkation. Or simply shut-down the helicopter wherever possible. However, there is an Asian way of thinking that that insists a mechanic be carried if a shut-down away from base is anticipated. Ever seen a 206B with 2 crew and a mechanic turn-up for a pleasure flight? Happens regularly in one Asian country.
Yes, I do remember the Dauphin accident at Penang. It was in the local newspapers dated Saturday, 1st April 2006 and despite the date it was certainly no joke. On that occasion, the Dauphin was giving joyrides to local children and immediately prior to what would have been the fifth flight the person handling the children during the rotors-running change, not the pilot who was at the controls, inexplicably walked forward away from the helicopter "...and a thud was heard..." I still have a cutting of the newspaper article, complete with a very graphic colour photograph, and regularly use it to illustrate the dangers of turning rotors, particularly when I'm visiting an S76 location.
paco: Thanks, do you know the actual JAA/EASA reference?
John Eacott: Thanks also, the helicopter is a privately-owned 206L4 on the Indian register.