Originally Posted by
Troglodita
Has nobody else noticed the Italian Bell 412 Regn YF 57 winching over the stricken cruise ship!
What on earth is he doing at about 300 feet with a crewman/survivor on the winch?
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300 feet? Maybe 100-120 feet, but that doesn't look like 300 feet to me: and what winch does he operate that has 300 feet of wire to play with
Remarkably there are operators around the world who don't always appreciate the dangers of dropping the load from height over a hard surface. I agree that what we were taught (move out and down, overwater) seems a preferred method, but there could be a downwash issue (loose inflatables still tethered to the hull seen in other photos) or a wind issue. Certainly I wouldn't be getting overly concerned with the flyaway aspect, the 412 is a very capable machine.
Nonetheless, it's not our position to judge without knowing the facts behind the pilot and crew's decision.