A number of the quotes attributed to me in the media are incorrect. I was interviewed for this Sunday nights Chan 7 Sunday show so this may give some greater accuracy. Of course this depends on how they edit it!
I did comment about how hard it is to get and keep a helicopter IFR rating in Aus.
I don't think any private pilots currently holds one.
In the USA you can do your IFR in an R22 or Jetranger and it is everlasting. Not even a requirement for a specific helicopter bi annual review- do it in a VFR Cessna 150 if you want to.
If some of the claims made to me by fellow helicopter pilots about Richards actions are true it shows that he was quite a risk taker. This may not have had anything to do with the accident of course.