Gazelle incident
I am pleased the two are safe and unharmed.
Is this the second or third ex-military Gazelle coming to grief?
If this trend continues someone, somewhere (CAA?) will step in and place restrictions. They will be forced to?
I own a Gazelle and can report that it is a superb machine but I have experienced 'the bite' refered to by another correspondent. I love it, think is is an outstanding aircraft and now don't fly anything other rotary as I have the best. But bite it has, especially for the unwary during the early days until you are flying in front of it.
Remember, at Midlle Wallop, most started on the Gazelle (?) and, in the early training had half a mile of flat ground in any direction and a good instructor with plenty of authority/power next to them. They didn't start on machine with the rotors going round 'the wrong way'. The young trainee pilots, keen and fast in reaction, weren't commercial customers. Indeed they faced the chop if they didn't/couldn't perform to minimum standards.
There is no such thing as cheap turbine helicopter flying. The machines at less then £200K are cheap, but, in my humble opinion, the type training at 5 hours (?) will not work for all pilots and should be considered an absolute minimum.
Sellers and buyers beware.
Especially Gazelle Owning Groups where the odds of a mishap must increase. All members must achieve high standards, know the rules, follow them and keep in practice.