Pace's motto that it's excusable for professional pilots to fly VFR in inappropriate conditions because they "have to", is bollocks.
Pace has not said that.
what do you deem as inappropriate ?
from the special report:
At 0751 hrs, Thames Radar broadcast London City Airport ATIS2 information ‘J’ which reported a visibility of 700 m, a Runway Visual Range (RVR) of 900 m, freezing fog and broken cloud with a base 100 ft above the airport. Thirty seconds later, the pilot of G-CRST asked to route back to Redhill Aerodrome via the London Eye and received the reply:
"ROCKET 2 APPROVED VIA THE LONDON EYE NOT ABOVE ALTITUDE 1,500 FEET VFR IF YOU CAN OR SPECIAL VFR, QNH 1012".
The pilot replied:
"YEAH, WE CAN, 1012 AND NOT ABOVE 1500, VFR OR SPECIAL VFR ROCKET 2".
G-CRST climbed to 1,500 ft for the transit. At 0753 hrs, the controller asked:
"ROCKET 2 DO YOU HAVE VMC OR WOULD YOU LIKE AN IFR TRANSIT?"
The pilot replied:
"I HAVE GOOD VMC ON TOP HERE, THAT’S FINE, ROCKET 2".
At 0755 hrs, G-CRST was put under radar control as it entered the London CTR. One minute later, the pilot asked:
"ROCKET 2, IS BATTERSEA OPEN DO YOU KNOW?"
After being told that London Heliport was open, the pilot said:
"IF I COULD HEAD TO BATTERSEA THAT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL".
The controller replied:
"I’LL JUST HAVE A CHAT WITH THEM, SEE WHAT THEIR CLOUD IS LOOKING LIKE"
At 0757 hrs, G-CRST was abeam the London Eye at 1,500 ft and the pilot said:
"ROCKET 2, I CAN ACTUALLY SEE VAUXHALL, IF I COULD MAYBE HEAD DOWN TO H3… H43 SORRY"
The ATC controller replied:
"ROCKET 2, YOU CAN HOLD ON THE RIVER FOR THE MINUTE BETWEEN VAUXHALL AND WESTMINSTER BRIDGES AND I’LL CALL YOU BACK".
G-CRST was flying south parallel to the River Thames and, as it passed Westminster Bridge, began to descend. At 0758 hrs, G-CRST was approaching the north side of the river, 0.5 nm west of Vauxhall Bridge. The controller said:
"ROCKET 2 BATTERSEA ARE JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THEY CAN ACCEPT THE DIVERSION"
The pilot acknowledged, after which the controller continued:
"AND YOU CAN MAKE IT QUITE A WIDE HOLD, YOU CAN GO AS FAR AS LONDON BRIDGE"
The helicopter crossed the north bank of the Thames at 1,000 ft heading south-west and began a right turn through north onto a south-easterly heading which took it back over the middle of the river. It was by now level at approximately 800 ft and altered course to follow the line of the river east towards Vauxhall Bridge.
At 0759:10 hrs, the ATC controller said:
"ROCKET 2 YEAH BATTERSEA DIVERSION APPROVED YOU’RE CLEARED TO BATTERSEA".
The pilot replied:
"LOVELY THANKS ROCKET 2".
The ATC controller continued:
"ROCKET 2 CONTACT BATTERSEA ONE TWO TWO DECIMAL NINER".
The pilot replied:
"TWO TWO NINE, THANKS A LOT".
This exchange ended at 0759:18 hrs when G-CRST was approximately 150 m south-west of Vauxhall Bridge.
Immediately afterwards the helicopter began to turn right. At 0759:25 hrs it struck a crane on the south side of the river 275 m from the south-west end of Vauxhall Bridge.