Mangos all right, it's usually november that affliction strikes, people running around shooting each other and themselves. Helicopters are about to corner the market of the far side it seems.
Here in the latest crash comic ( as below) is the final of another story , previously spoken about on this forum. note the date of event but also the last safety recommendation.
silly me I darn well thought that we had pilots who could read the P chart that was located right above their mark I eyeball, the altimeter and OAT guage, had respect for the P charts, MAP, engine oil temps, and knew about simple things like DA Performance, load limits etc as a result of their PHL let alone their CHL qual.
Just what are we going to do at the operational level, bare the cost of teaching the basics to these gummpff's, tear their license up, or boot up the backjside a few of the flying schools that turn out these lack lustre performers???
tet
Abstract
On 14 September 2008, a Robinson Helicopter Company R44 Raven helicopter, registered VH-XXX,
was being operated on a series of scenic flights in the Bungle Bungle ranges area of the Purnululu
National Park, which was about 250 km south of Kununurra, Western Australia. At about
1230 Western Standard Time, the helicopter departed the Purnululu Aircraft Landing Area for an 18-
minute scenic flight with the pilot and three passengers. When the helicopter did not return by the
nominated time, a search was initiated. Shortly after, the burnt wreckage of the helicopter was located.
The four occupants were fatally injured.
The pilot had deviated from the regular scenic flight track, speed and profile to operate out of ground
effect (OGE) in close proximity to the terrain at a low airspeed or at the hover. The helicopter’s
estimated OGE hover performance was marginal. It is likely that the high level of engine power
required to sustain a hover in the local conditions was not available, or not fully utilised by the pilot,
resulting in; an uncommanded descent, overpitching of the main rotor as a result of the pilot’s attempts
to arrest that descent, and a main rotor RPM decay that significantly increased the rate of descent.
As a result of the investigation into this occurrence, two minor safety issues were identified:
There was no Australian requirement for endorsement and recurrent training conducted on
Robinson Helicopter Company R22/R44 helicopters to specifically address the preconditions
for, recognition of, or recovery from, low main rotor RPM.
There was a lack of assurance that informal operator supervisory and experience-based policy,
procedures and practices minimised the risk of pilots operating outside the individual pilot’s
level of competence.
In response, the aircraft operator has since formalised the operating parameters applicable to pilots
conducting scenic flights. In addition, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority will be reviewing the
training requirements affecting R22/44 helicopters. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has issued
a Safety Advisory Notice to encourage operators to address the risk of their pilots operating outside the
individual pilot’s level of competence.