Devils advocate...
But it's ok to dangle someone on a winch in conditions where an OEI safe fly away can't always be made? Just because that's saving life? Risking one (or several for another?
These power lines are in the middle of nowhere and need maintenance/inspection work. Other methods including a twin are clearly more expensive/intensive. This squeezes margin so you will lose both investors/business but also risk pushing up prices. So an Elderly person then dies because they can't afford heating or a chap commits suicide because he can't pay his bills and look after his family.
Whatever the outcome the world really needs to learn that there is always going to be some kind of attrition. BUT we shouldn't get complacent about it.
We may have saved that power line worker from death by implementing new rules but what if he loved his job and had then been forced to stop? So he gets an office job instead - what is the risk of him getting run over very morning crossing the road? Would the risk be greater if he was going to work and he didn't enjoy his job? Would his mind he elsewhere crossing the road?
There was an article that showed under JAR helicopter accident rates hadn't changed much at all.
We need to be mindful of risk and minimise it but we can't ever take it away AND live in an effective world.
Oh - and stricter maintenance might be offered as a solution but it's always straight after maintenance that I seem to end up with aircraft issues/snags/faults! The most important check A/walk round is the one after maintenance inspection.
