Originally Posted by
Squawk7700
Dick is spot on John. There are near continuous joy flights from the Yarra on a daily basis; not all day but enough to be annoying. I counted more than half a dozen yesterday (a Thursday) when I was there for around one hour. Depending on where you are standing, you literally need to pause your conversation whilst they warm up and depart.
Microflite operate up to two EC130's (or smaller) from the one pad just down from the World Trade Centre and PHS were operating a Jetranger which flew multiple times from the council heliport opposite Crown. Microflite even operate a 130 in full red and gold Crown Casino livery.
(I know you are aware of the finer details JE, just noting them for Dick and others)
In all honesty, the operation of these helicopters doesn't seem to be in-line with a fully risk-adverse approach. I haven't spotted any warning signs regarding the coexistence of boats and helicopters where the helicopters lift off and literally reverse out over the river regardless of what is below and plaster them with full downwash from a 130 or similar.
JE - can you please elaborate on why the operators of the council pad don't allow R44's to land, or advise against it, don't allow it or otherwise? (Correct me if I am wrong of course)
First, I would certainly not class half a dozen flights in an hour on the Thursday before Christmas to be 'continuous' and nor were they necessarily scenic flights. My op from the Yarra Bank helipad yesterday was a photographic job over Southbank.
Stopping once every ten minutes for a helicopter takeoff is nothing compared to the loud music from the restaurants across the river on the Southbank Boulevard, which were able to be clearly heard at the pad! This is not a 'daily operation' but a seasonal surge of flying in good weather close to a public holiday; come along in wintertime and there may be days between flights.
Risk averse? Well, I guess if there were no operations that may satisfy the NIMBYs and be as risk averse as possible, along with having a man (or gender neutral person of indeterminate biological creation) walk with a red flag in front of every car, bike and bus. This is an aviation forum, flying has an intrinsic risk which is managed within degrees. The flight path is overwater and with minimum risk to those along the Yarra River, including the pleasure craft who also manage to avoid ramming and sinking each other. The pad meanwhile, has been there for some 40 years.
Absolutely no idea what you are referencing with your query about council pads: there aren't any that I know of. They are all private pads along the Yarra River, and what they choose to operate or allow to operate is their commercial decision.