Just throwing stones in the darkness here...but someone mentioned that the "experienced long line guy" had nil hours on a huey...(?)...
If that is so-that should be considered a "no go" from the operational side.
Someone without longline-experience can NOT fly a long line-even when he has 5000 hours on type. It is totally different from flying external cargo (although i know that especially some of the former military guys think that they can do it, because they have EXTENSIVE external cargo experience....some of them even have 50 hours!!).....((and-no, i don´t want to start the "ex-mil against civi pilots" debate again...most civil pilots think the same...))...
On the other hand-someone without any experience on the huey CAN NOT fly it instantly-especially not when long lining is involved.
A huey is behaving so different from any squirrel or other helos normally used for ll-operations...
I had 700 hours LL (on the Huey´s) when i changed from Huey to BK-and needed app. 5 hours to get myself comfortable in this helicopter with the line....(of course-i do not insist on being the fastest....)...
But-like i said...throwing stones in the dark here.....just thinking loud, without any evidence....