Helicopter Accident at Oxford Airport

[Jinkster]

Just heard a rumour of a possible accident at Oxford Kidlington, any news?

Jinkster

[AV8R-77]

Yes there was an incident, around 14:10 today.
I saw a blue helicopter, looked like an Aerospatiale AS-350B Ecureuil, leaning over on it's left side, on the grass, near the runway crossing of 29-11 and 19-01. At least one occupant was taken to hospital, not sure if more people were on board. Helicopter seemed pretty much intact. Airport was closed for a few hours. I hope the person on board will be ok.

[airborne_artist]

From the Oxford Mail online:

Two women were taken to hospital after a helicopter crash-landed at Kidlington Airport yesterday.

Thames Valley Police were called to the airport, in Langford Lane, at about 2pm.

A spokesman said the helicopter was on a training flight when it "landed heavily", after getting into difficulty.

The two passengers -- an Oxford Aviation Training instructor and her student -- suffered back injuries.

Steve Jones, the director of Oxford Airport, said: "Two women on a training flight with a private company were injured after the helicopter, an AS Single Squirrel 350, spun at 2Oft and hit the ground.

"The women were conscious and able to talk to paramedics and complained of back injuries.

"The matter has now been referred to the Civil Aviation Authority's Air Accident Investigation Board."

[headsethair]

"The matter has now been referred to the Civil Aviation Authority's Air Accident Investigation Board."

Did the Director of Oxford Airport really say that ? Or has the journalist merged two independent operations ?

[Heliport]

The AAIB won't be pleased to see the error, that's for sure. :eek:

Not only are they nothing to do with the CAA, but they have a completely different attitude to aviation and aviators.

[Billywizz]

Much more to the point, I've been told the two pilots were kept in hospital overnight for observation but are OK.
Get well soon girls.

[Practice Auto 3,2,1]

Just want to pass on my best wishes to the two pob.

Hope a speedy recovery is made by you both!

[headsethair]

TC: I'd like to recommend that your insensitive post is removed. You don't know those involved - some of us do. And we know how they're feeling and what injuries they have.

Keep your "humour" for your text messages to your mates.

[Letsby Avenue]

Chill out will you! They're both OK and someone had to say it.... (Cos we all thought it!):ok:

[Whirlygig]

I didn't :O

Cheers

Whirlygig

[headsethair]

Letsby & TC: nice to see that the neolithic age hasn't left you. Surprised you have time to fly - shouldn't you be out dragging women back to your caves ?

Oh - TC - that new hangar.

We know where it is. No need to paint "Prehistoric man keeps chopper here" on the roof.

"pose, pause.........................................pounce" - who wrote this in his profile ?

[ShyTorque]

What a complete load of hydraulics..... :rolleyes:

[Bravo 99 (AJB)]

Is this a case of here we go again, duck the mud it seems to be flying about AGAIN:

i hope that the crew (male or female) make a speedy recovery

Sincerely
Bravo 99

[Heliport]

Headsethair

Glenda Wild has been a respected instructor for many years in a predominantly male environment. She'd be more likely to laugh or roll her eyes heavenwards at a predictable male quip rather than go into rant mode.

What matters most is that neither she nor the student were badly injured.

[SawThe Light]

Good to see that the girls are OK. Wish both a speedy return to service.

Hope the mirrors, lipstick and hairbrushes are OK too.


STL

[ShyTorque]

I agree, hope both are OK and get back up there soon.

Saw the pair of them in the restaurant at TK and later just before they walked out for the flight.

A pleasure to see female pilots in our industry, it helps balance our sometimes too macho outlook and on a personal note it certainly brightens up my day.

We aren't all neanderthals (UGH, UGH! :} ).

;)

[headsethair]

"A pleasure to see female pilots in our industry"

Oh great. A line that needs no comment.........whose industry would that be then ?

[ShyTorque]

The global helicopter industry. No offence meant. Are you looking to find some? I find your reply offensive.

Would you prefer I made some sarcastic comment about females and parking? I would rather not. I had actually intended my comments to be complimentary rather than inflammatory.... shame you can't see that. :(

[Rotator]

I do not often join in these forums, but today feel I must.

Who IS 'Thomas Coupling'. On second thoughts, I do not want to know. It was going to take a neanderthal nerd to comment so stupidly on the two lady pilots and TC fits the bill precisely.

I do know the lady Training Captain to be a thorough professional who has earned the admiration and respect of all of us privileged to have met and flown with her. To achieve that in what was once - and not so long ago - a male dominated world is no mean feat.

May I join those serious and professional voices who wish both her and her student pilot a full and swift recovery. Back on Cloud 10.

[Bronx]

Darn good of you to join our humble forum today Rotator.

PS
Bring your sense of humor with you next time to stop by. :)

[Whirlybird]

To achieve that in what was once - and not so long ago - a male dominated world is no mean feat.

Used to be male dominated? Oh. Did that change? When? I never noticed. Neither did the school I work for, who like the novelty of having me around, or new students, who tend to look a bit surprised. Not that I care, about that or any of the comments here or elsewhere, serious or otherwise. You see, it's been going on too often, for too many years, to be either annoying or funny. Just gets boring really (yawn).

So enjoy yourselves discussing bad drivers, handbags etc etc, guys. Have a good laugh, or get outraged about it; it's all the same to me. Me, I just fly helicopters, what anyone thinks of that is irrelevant. And I haven't met her, but I suspect Glenda Wid feels more or less the same.

BTW, I was at Oxford today and saw the helicopter which crashed. Bit of a mess. Glad they're both OK.

[Brilliant Stuff]

I wish both Helicopter Pilot's a speedy recovery and a fast return to the clouds.


Regards Brilliant Stuff

[Ginger Spinner]

Please enough of the sexism debate.

The inportant thing here is what actually happened to the flight of the Kitchen Dodgers?

[Recuperator]

I agree with Thomas coupling, Letsby Avenue, Heliport, SawThe Light, ShyTorque and the Bronx. A bit of humour goes a long way too resolve tensions and to alleviate the effects of trauma. The girls did a good job to walk away from it alive!

I must admit there isn't much sexier than a girl in a body hugging flightsuite showing the boys how its done... :cool:

Ligten up headsethair and Rotator, PMS has never been attractive, you girls should know this...

And I have my wife's permission to say so!

As she always says: "Woman's faults are many, men have only two, everything they say and everything they do!" ;)

So a bit of healthy bantering between the sexes has never hurt anyone, as long as it is not taken personal!

Get well Angels, we hope to hear your lovely voices soon again on the air!! :ok:

[Whirlygig]

Well said Mrs. Recuperator ;)

sexier than a girl in a body hugging flightsuite

Yeah - if you can find one!!! All the flightsuit(e)s that I have come across (don't be filthy boys!!), are tailored for men. I would love a body-hugging flightsuit but, until manufacturers realise that women are a different shape to men, you ain't gonna see me in one.

So, if anyone knows where I can get one, please let me know!

However, I digress. 'Nowt wrong wi' a bit o' banter as long as you can take what you dish out although I do wonder if TC doesn't actually mean what he says??

Cheers

Whirlygig

[Thomas coupling]

Whirlygig: trust me I'm a pilot!

I'd let you wear my overalls, only if you said
"you ain't gonna see me in one. afterwards.:ok:

We all know who rules really.................................:\

[Whirlygig]

Aw thanks TC,

Trouble is, I suspect that your flightsuit would be a tad big for me especially round the waist and, if it looks anything like the average Police Pilot suit (and I've seen a few!!), then it would only be fit for scrubbing floors. And I mean using it to scrub the floor not wearing it whilst scrubbing the floor.

Now there should be plenty in that to keep you going!!

To the two pilots who were injured - hope you are both OK and I do hope you are having a giggle now over this.

All the best

Cheers

Whirlygig

[the wizard of auz]

Hey TC, just a hint mate. If your out there doing the cave man thing, drag em home by the hair. If you drag em home by the ankles, they fill up with sand.:E :}

[Banjo]

whirlygig, you sound like the sort of person I would love to fly with.
Have to say I have only come across 3 female helicopter pilots (no pun intended) and all of them have a great sense of humour and can give as good as they take.

Of course my wife...now she really knows how to take the p**s out of me. Must be the years of practice.

Glad the girls are both OK as that is the main thing after all.

[Hughesy]

Oh you Pom's are funny! :D
Anyway, as others have said, a bit of laugh is great, but as long as it's not personal attacks. So others, calm down a bit, have a laugh and just all be thankful they are both ok.

"What are women doing in the helicopter? It's not the point they were out of the Kitchen!" ;) :D

Anyway, I know a few female pilot's, both helicopter and plank, and they are all quite hard case and you can have a bit of a laugh with them.

Hughesy

[Thomas coupling]

This is becoming more like that sickly agony aunt forum every entry:yuk: :yuk: :yuk:

I'd love to fly with you whirly girly.......

[Whirly r u intimating I am somewhat rotund:confused: ]
[Our kit is individually tailored so that we continue to look our best on police,camera,action:ouch: ]

[Whirlygig]

TC,

Not getting jealous now are we? Just 'cos some folk here know how to treat a lady.

As for any intimations, I was implying that my waist was small but, hey, if the cap fits .....

Cheers

Whirlygig

[Ginger Spinner]

For christ's sake now we're discussing fashion, waistlines and teenage inuendo. Why not get Trinny and Susanah on!

Jesus, we've established that the two are OK, that we love them and wish them well with lots of hugs and kisses, but still no one has said what the F*** happened?

[Flying Lawyer]

I've been told, unconfirmed:

Loss of hydraulics exercise.
Student got it wrong.
FI unable to recover it in time.


Bad luck - Glenda's a very experienced instructor.
Thankfully, no serious injuries to either pilot.

Tudor

[Ginger Spinner]

At last, the voice of reason, thanks...But what colour suits were they wearing?!

[jayteeto]

Hydraulics out in the single squirrel was never much fun. I saw some big lads struggling with this. Yaw control seemed to be the problem with some 'sideways' run ons making life exciting. Was in the hangar yesterday and saw the remains of the heli. One word.... expensive :sad:

[Giovanni Cento Nove]

Hope it was a B model and not a B-1 or upwards. There is a little chestnut here that can involve the fingers and has caught a few people...............

[Hilico]

AAIB Report (http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/bulletins/may_2006/eurocopter_as350b3_ecureuil__g_bzvg.cfm)

[thecontroller]

"but the issue of heavy control forces in manual flight was well understood by the helicopter manufacturer"

how do manufacturers get these aircraft certified when they are such a handful if the hydraulics fail. seems a bit dangerous to be

i have heard the EC120 is a nightmare in this situation. anyone shed some light on what aircraft are hard to handle with the hydraulics off and why they are allowed to fly?

[Thomas coupling]

I'm sorry...really very sorry about this, but......................................................... ............................................................ .It takes a man to grapple with the hydraulics:ouch: :ouch: :ouch:

[verticalhold]

TC

Pleased to see you still dancing on the thin ice!! Personally I found the 350B3 and the EC120 a bloody handful with the hydraulics off. Both amazed me that they were ever certified with such high control forces.

As anyone who knows me will tell you I am not the smallest nor daintiest of people, but when even someone of my build and strength struggles that much it suggests that something in the original design is not quite right.

VH

[Cyclic Hotline]

I noticed this one just the other day!

Regis#: 514AL Make/Model: EC12 Description: EUROCOPTER EC120B
Date: 05/05/2006 Time: 1215

Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
City: INTERCOASTAL CITY State: LA Country: US

DESCRIPTION
N514AL, A EUROCOPTER EC120B ROTORCRAFT, ON DEPARTURE EXPERIENCED HYDRAULIC FAILURE, AUTO-ROTATED, FLOATS DEPLOYED, AND FLIPPED OVER IN THE WATER, INTERCOASTAL CITY, LA

[Johe02]

Well said Calli - I must say I agree with you.

But what TC said was quite funny :O