Wrong a/c wrong passenger complement, wrong recovery procedure.
The damn a/c was a jet box with about as much LTE as a robbo. Everyone in the trade knows that Jet boxes have had their fair share of LTE issues in the past hence wrong a/c for that altitude and that AUM.
Second - too many 'amateur's' in the back of the cab. Would love to have seen the load chart for that pre launch.
Three might be mistaken but NEVER saw anyone talking to the pilot just a series of F words and frenetic activity.
Four - 'most' not all but most skydivers haven't a
clue what helos are all about and are more bother than the worth of it.
Five - a full exposed cabin is asking for trouble with amateurs.
Solution:
Use a 350 if you can't use a fenestron a/c or a notar - no issues with LTE or HOGE or any TR issues. Door control in these cabs is far superior and makes sure the PILOT is in charge and not the morons in the back.
A very thorough brief about cabin management and emergencies before getting airborne and constant comms en route.
IF this situation had then happened in my situation (though I doubt if the ingredients would have manifested themselves due to the above), Pax give pilot a running commentary. Bring cab to a hover (or reduce fwd wind flow to a minimum and brief "attached" moron to climb out onto skids to recover canopy without 60+kts of jet wash blowing it backwards into the exposed tail. Of course this wouldn't have been a problem with the fenestron/notar would it?
Agreed, the guy doing the retriving was on the ball but it was AFTER the morons got into the situation in the first place.
FFS guys - let's not defend the indefensible let's get it right FIRST time round eh?
SAS: stop waffling!