JAFO;
While this was a single pilot aircraft, three very experienced people were watching this happen and that makes very little sense to me.
Tr;
Come on guys.
Only one of these three 'very experienced people' (were they?) was a pilot! TFOs can be keen and knowledgeable, but they aren't professional pilots. They don't HAVE to be keen and/or knowledgeable on aviation. (Do they pass tech exams on the EC135???) They just have to fulfil THEIR role!
If you want to make a case for 'many eyes', then you need a second pilot. I'm afraid it's that simple! Don't you dare try to fudge the issue.
Either accept you're happy with one pilot making all the aviation decisions and soaking up all the pressure, or provide a second! To pretend otherwise is unfair on the police officers on board!
That's not right!
Next you'll be expecting hosties to express opinions over engine failures in jetliners!
SS;
Oh dear Tandem, you'll be telling us they are just passengers next
Tr;
Oh dear silsoe, you'll be telling us they hold a JAA licence on the EC135 next!
If you want a second pair of eyes on the flying sh1t, employ a second pilot. Otherwise accept that one person soaks up all the pressure!
One or the other!
Even hosties aren't passengers. They even do CRM! EVERYBODY knows that don't they??
Blimey tandem, I do wonder about your experience in these matters.
When I used to be an aircrewman, there were often times I would sit in the front, even sometimes without duals fitted. Sometimes I would be in the back, winching or abseil dispatching for example, (or if the senior pax wanted the front seat, until that matter was addressed!)
We didn't do CRM back in those days, but I'll tell you one thing for nothing, if I or any other of my fellow aircrewmen were flying with either an old sweat or new chap, were to see any low fuel warnings or see the fuel running a bit low, or anything not quite right, don't you think we might say something? Do you not think that might have been 'part of our role'? Even back in those days it was realised that you don't have to put someone through a whole pilots course for them to be a 'second pair of eyes'.
I think we all know that hosties aren't classed as pax and that they do complete CRM training, but don't you think that if when delivering a brew or meal to the flight deck, on seeing some warning lights and the word FUEL, they might just say something despite not being a licensed to fly that type?
Even passengers in the role of passenger with no CRM training, when seeing something not quite right, would tend to say something don't you think?