AIRWAVES 45 we hear you and you completely correct. The accident rate is unacceptable. None of us on this forum disagree with you and everyone wants this to improve. However, aviation is an unforgiving activity when things go wrong.
The important thing here is to clearly establish what went wrong and take steps to ensure it does not happen again.
We have suffered an unusual batch of incidents and accidents in our backyard and that has created a very understandable emotional response. However, all types of aviation suffer from unacceptable accidents. In the last three years there have been over 75 fatal fixed wing accidents with the loss of life exceeding over 3000 souls. None of this is acceptable.
I can assure you that every single person involved in NS operations wants this to stop. Unfortunatley this is a Pilots forum and in some cases attitudes are hardened to the risks and the environment in which we have chosen to work in. They are not against you. They want the same thing as you. It's just that our experience tells us these are not issues related to one type of helicopter. They affect all types, everywhere around the world.
In the case of the EC225 it has a design error that has thankfully not resulted in hurting anyone and if you consider it's large windows, superior avionics then maybe we can feel a little comforted that despite the seriousness of the failure at least the totality of the machines safety systems led to highly favourable outcomes. I believe with the later generation of helicopters we are progressing definitely in the right direction and I include AW, Sk and ECs in this.
I do not know much about boat transfer operations so I do not know how safe they would be compared to helicopter options.
The mission for all of us is clear. We need to get much better very quickly in all areas identified by this accidents and in some that we may not yet have experienced. It is an unforgiving environment and we must step up tothe plate.
We hear you Airwave 5 by 5.
DB
Last edited by DOUBLE BOGEY; 27th Aug 2013 at 05:45.