Misrepresentation

[PANews]

Dangerous territory I know... but head on the block I go...
Does anyone know what this little piece of journalism is supposed to mean to its average reader? Is it perhaps a litany of selected accidents as part of a plan to scare the pants off every potential user of a helicopter?
I cannot see a common theme or operator ... the only theme is death and rotors.. it is not even every fatal accident in 20 years!

DEADLY TOLL OF UK HELICOPTER CRASHES
By Jeremy Armstrong
THE Irish Sea crash is the latest in a tragic series of helicopter accidents in the UK.
Forty-five people died when a Chinook went down while ferrying oil workers from platforms in the North Sea in November 1986.
The aircraft with three crew was taking men from Shell platforms in the Brent fields when it plummeted into the waves.
It was just two miles and one minute flying time from landing at Sumburgh Head, south Shetland. The official accident report blamed a failure of the rotor gears.
Another Chinook disaster in June 1994 claimed 29 lives. The RAF helicopter with four crew members was carrying most of the UK's senior Northern Ireland intelligence experts when it crashed on the Mull of Kintyre.
In December 2004 four Royal Navy crew died when their Lynx helicopter went into the sea 20 miles off the Cornish coast.
A pilot and two other men were killed in December 2003 when their small Twin Squirrel helicopter crashed at Doiley Woods near Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hants. In the same month two soldiers died when an Army Gazelle helicopter made a forced landing in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
Last January four people including a father and his 15-year-old son lost their lives after their helicopter crashed in Somerset.
The wreckage of the privately owned Jetranger 206B was found in woods in the Blackdown Hills, south of Wellington.

The text is drawn from: -
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=deadly-toll-of-uk-helicopter-crashes-&method=full&objectid=18344232&siteid=94762-name_page.html

[unstable load]

Obviously a juniour reporter with an eye to a pulitzer or someone with a mate/girlfriend/boyfriend on a chopper that went down somewhere.

The press love aircrashes of any sort, and because most of them don't have the first clue how helicopters work they have a kneejerk reaction to anything they don't understand.

Yes, in my opinion it is most certainly misrepresentation but based through ignorance more than anything else, and a need to meet a quota of column inches so they don't get their editor up their jacks with a deadline demand.

Sod them, we KNOW we are safe and good at what we do. Someone should get them to sit and do a comparison with all other modes of transport, then let them open their gobs.

Rant over.

[tigerfish]

PANews,
The writer is obviously a 100% pratt. I suggest that all pruners write a letter or E Mail to the paper concerned and make our feelings clear.
Otherwise the pratt will think he's got away with making such stupid remarks.:ugh:
Tigerfish

[Aynayda Pizaqvick]

Well it is the Mirror:yuk: Not exactly renowned for their credible journalism, especially after they paid for fake pictures of the lads 'torturing' Iraqis. T:mad: sers!

[dr atkins]

Maybe you think their journalistic efforts would be better served slagging off various helicopter manufacturers whilst promoting one particular brand of helicopter.

Especially if that journalist was able to financially benefit from said manufacturer.


Read your own stuff PAN. You do this every month!!!!:ugh:

Any MDHI operator will be able to verify that!!!!

All journalists are all the same. You can’t trust what you read. End of story.


Dr A

[nigelh]

Bugging telephones, faking photos, making up stories ....its all in a days work for the scum press, lets hope they all die a long painful death. ps Happy New Year !!:ok:

[thecontroller]

what's the first thing people say when you tell them you're a heli pilot?

a) "wow! you must earn a fortune!" (no)

b) "did you have to start flying planes first?" (no)

c) "don't they crash a lot?" (no)

[PANews]

Well I did start off with: -

'Dangerous territory I know... but head on the block I go...':eek:

Fortunately I never did trust the opinion of mere Doctors!

Your personal favourite helicopter company do not do too badly for a little company, they are undoubtedly treated to far more editorial interest than their current worth in terms of market share.

Compare like with like, it should be pointed out to the average reader that there are other companies that build [far more] helicopters that do not receive [nor send out as regular press releases] quite as many column inches.

I refer the honorable Doctor to the likelihood that this is not intended to be a thread specifically about any of them. :)

Now where were we....

[wg13_dummy]

Its the utter bollox of his opening headline and sub title;

DEADLY TOLL OF UK HELICOPTER CRASHES
By Jeremy Armstrong
THE Irish Sea crash is the latest in a tragic series of helicopter accidents in the UK.

He makes it sound as if we are falling out of the sky on a regular basis.
Some comparisons would have balanced it out a bit but as we know, thats not what journalism is about.

How about researching the amount of flying hours conducted since the 1986 Chinook accident versus the amount of fatalities then use a comparison of how many people die on the roads each year? But it wouldn't sell fish wrappers would it?

Whats his point? (If he has one) Is he suggesting the helicopter business (civvy and mil) in this country is dangerous, more dangerous than other countries, has a poor safety record?

If his piece is an editorial, surely it is supposed to have a point or summary? It just appears to be a shoddy piece of googled 'facts' hashed together to appear to be relevant with the 365 accident.


And another thing;

In the same month two soldiers died when an Army Gazelle helicopter made a forced landing in Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

He's not wrong but I don't think the term 'forced landing' was approproate for that accident. Cock.

[ShyTorque]

To keep this in perspective, substitute the word "helicopter" with Ford Mondeo, Vauxhall Astra or just car, truck or van.

[Blind Bob]

I treated the article like I treat their papers, tossed it in the bin and moved on. Now I'm looking forward to the next edition of PANews. :D

[dr atkins]

PANews

My point is that I find it hypocritical that you of all people should question the intentions of a fellow journalist.

Your goals are the same. Greater numbers of readers or greater salary or greater fear and panic. Who cares if the truth needs to be manipulated to get a story out.

Your right in what you have written here. This journalist is talking complete rubbish. Helicopters are very safe and as an engineer I go a long way to help keep them that way. I just wished you practiced what you preach when it comes to your own monthly publication.

Dr A

P.S. Shouldn't the Jan edition be out soon PAN?

[i4iq]

Does anyone have the stats comparing various modes of transport, hours traveled, accidents etc?

[wg13_dummy]

Does anyone have the stats comparing various modes of transport, hours traveled, accidents etc?



You'd like to think the journo that wrote the artical in the Mirror asked the same question.............but I very much doubt it.

[MINself]

This article is a disgrace, this artice if you can call it that is nothing more than a list of accidents, none of which the author tries to link together to form a reason why he thinks is his ill informed opinion that the helicopter industry is suffering a so called tragic series of accidents which are happening at a greater rate than previously.

It is a shame that anyone connected with the helicopter industry would post this list of accidents in the name of journalism or transparency after this most recent one, which points out nothing more than helicopters are involved in accidents. Thankyou for reminding us all that there is always someone out there willing to stoop to the depths of bad taste in the name of provacative journalism. c**k.

MS

[PANews]

Doctor, Doctor...

Tis written, but its not due out until Tuesday [because my Webmaster is unlikely to stir his aching head until then!]. All words at present - pics come along Sunday/Monday alcohol permitting.

Ah! The wages of my sins?

I think you need to take a eyes open look at the advertising rates, count the adverts and deduct a flight to Dubai...

Some people do do things for love - it removes the problem that some wage earners have about what they write and how they write it.

I guess I should not have slagged off the journo that wrote the Mirror item ... honour among thieves and all that ... but I am gamekeeper turned poacher and I still like the gamekeepers even if I turn up the heat a bit sometimes! Lots of fingers blistered out there. But then I started my craft whilst a gamekeeper and I was just as 'bad' in those days... well it was pretty safe the pension was not far away!

Yes a greater numbers of readers is important but that is only because I do not want my baby to stagnate into wallpaper. Your boiling blood proves it has not yet done that!

And I passed a massive phew!!! just this morning in captioning an apparently unimportant image [it is Christmas after all and everyone is away] but fortunately I picked up the phone and they were in... so I think I got away without a silly bloomer again this month ... we will see.

That tome you hate was never intended to be more than a monthly digest of stories from around the World so most of it is just that. Strangely enough I have no reporter in Blackpool this week, and most of it can be read in full on that other UK based daily digest I guess you subscribe to.

I was doing a story on one of the pilots in the crash [ex-HEMS], reading and editing all the items, chasing a non-copyright image [I got use of the copyright image the cops were giving away... 'cept I got permission from the owner, useful that!], when I tripped over the Mirror item and it just made my blood boil - I guess you know the effect all too well!

In theory to fit in with what I am supposed to do all I needed to do was precis the Mirror story..... ugh!

Now where were we....!!!

[212man]

The irony is, that in attempting to catalogue a list of accidents, he misss the two worst civillian accidents that have occured since Sumburgh!:ugh: It's also plagarised from the SkyNews web site (or are Mirror and Sky part of the same group?)

[rufus.t.firefly]

Over the last two days , I have never read such broad clap trap with regard to helicopter safety within the UK in the tabloids , following the Morecambe Bay incident .

The press seem to print info based on speculation , tittle tattle and hear say.

Some of the comments made by so called "Aviation Specialists" beggar belief.

A least the local tabloid managed to pay a splendid tribute to the crew and pax who sadly lost their lives.

Some of us in this industry are coming to terms with the loss of friends and colleagues over the last 2 days .....just wish these w*&^ers would get their
facts right or print nowt.

Lets wait for the AAIB investigation and not speculate ...it does nothing but
put doubts and fear in the minds of the punters travelling in the back of the cab !
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[topendtorque]

PANews
THere is Statistics, more statistics and damm lies.

In the Xmas period we've had 37 dead on OZ roads out of 16M? forgotten, some small number.
the only jurisdiction to be fatality free (so far tap tap) is the Northern Territory, which coincidentally is one of the very few juridictions anywhere that has no speed limit on the open road.

Not for long however the NT Govt has decided that Territorians need dragging down to the rest of OZ, albeit to a mediocre 130 (that's klicks) on the highways.
tet

FRom this network you would glean how many Rotary accidnets in the same time 3--?????
two ag machines in oz- no fatalities!

[Whirlybird]

Your goals are the same. Greater numbers of readers or greater salary
Yep. :ok: And there's only one way to do that in the long term - write well and get your facts right.

That's the reason I still make more from writing than instructing. :(

Why are we wasting bandwidth on a Mirror reporter???

[BobbyBolkow]

To be fair, the moralist in me says that reporters are only doing their job. selling newspapers, reporting etc, is a cut - throat business.


However, and its a big HOWEVER, there is a line between decency and accuracy which is all too often stepped over. I was working out of ABZ at the time of the Piper Alpha disaster and crewed the 1st aircraft on scene at the Ocean Oddesy incident. Aberdeen at the time was crawling with the worlds press who would stop at nothing to get a story, interview or picture. The lenghts they would go to begger belief, even posing as a survivor of the Oddesy to gain access to the hotel to interview the REAL survivors! They were nothing short of animals, not worthy of a place on this earth!


I have not bought a daily paper since then. A token gesture in the great scheme of things agreed, but one I feel comfortable with.


We will probably not change the world of the journalist, but if we all voted with our feet!! Who knows?


Until reporters start asking the right people, OR, bodies such as BHAB start standing up for our industry, it will remain forever thus.

BB

[Hilico]

The Mirror's worst crime is INCONSISTENCY. Remember, the previous day to this pile of twaddle, they had a cool, calm, balanced report which featured a large picture not only of the right type of a/c but the actual a/c in question on an earlier flight. The report (like most) had the email address of the journo in question, but I tried three times to send a message saying 'well done, very accurate and no sensationalising' and it bounced back every time.

[topendtorque]

Yep. :ok: And there's only one way to do that in the long term - write well and get your facts right.

That's the reason I still make more from writing than instructing. :(

Why are we wasting bandwidth on a Mirror reporter???

yes again, any chance we can find some of your delightful prose to relax with, Madamoiselle?

That is if it's ok for you to drop the hint where without upsetting the boundaries of this outfit????
tet

[Whirlybird]

Today's Pilot and Flight Training News pretty regularly, if you really, really want to know. Other places occasionally. And I edit the BWPA newsletter....which means I usually end up writing a fair proportion of it. :(

Now, I don't guarantee that absolutely everything I've written is 100% accurate, but I really, really try!

[diginagain]

Just in case any red-top journalist is looking for a quote from a frequent flyer to offshore ironmongery, I've done it regularly for the last 10 years, I shall continue to do so until my employment is no longer required, and I'm certain that my colleagues and I will have no hesitation in stepping onboard whichever aircraft is selected for our needs.


Not that it'll sell any papers.............:ugh:


If you want to play with 'statistics', I'm more likely to get hurt in transit to the heliport, or, for that matter at work, than down the back.

[Dantruck]

Yes, it's misrepresentation, but only of the facts. Misrepresent a person, company, etc and, as a journalist, the law kicks-in.
Can't find the thread from a year or two back (help me out here Hilico/Heliport), but wasn't it the Daily Mirror that hired a helicopter for a pleasure trip over London's Houses of Parliament, took a photo of Big Ben, and then ran a screaming headline about how they could have hijacked the craft and sent it crashing into the seat of government... blah, blah :yuk: . Strangely, the paper wasn't so concerned about its employees' basic safety then.
At the risk of boring everyone again, I'll repeat that nothing will change until a positive PR campaign is mounted. The UK's trucking industry largely turned round its image by being more...well...articulate. So, at least the model and the know-how is already there.
Any volunteers?
Dan
(an ex-editor of Helicopter World who declined to contribute to this week's media coverage on the grounds he wasn't there, doesn't have the facts to hand and won't speculate where it isn't helpful) Call me old-fashioned, I suppose:oh:

And the daily road death toll in the UK is 10, and around 120 across western Europe

[whoateallthepies]

PANews

Misrepresentation? A journalist made your blood boil? Heard of the Kettle and the Pot?

Looking forward to more "blood boiling" moments.
Happy New Year

[PANews]

Of course whoateallthepies... that is my first line in this post! 'Dangerous territory I know... but head on the block I go...'

I still thought I would go there, life is too short! As an aside only rarely does anyone actually get around to stating which bits I get wrong as a specific! Lots of grey bits that are easy to shrug off as unproven this end!

What the DM journalist was trying to do [regardless of the underlying reason] is undertaken annually by Learmont at Flight and I often find he misses some I have [and has many I do not] so if he cannot get a finite list out with all their resources I guess anyone else would be foolish to even try. A lack of a common oil industry or Irish Sea thread was perhaps the biggest mistake in the list the DM presented. Perhaps it was snatched from the Internet with only an hour or two to play with. Who knows.

As my old school report constantly accused [back in the last century].... 'he must try harder'

Happy New Year to all.

[whoateallthepies]

I think you are right. Just a hack journalist who searched "Helicopter Crash" for some sensationalism following the sad crash in Morecambe Bay.

He's just an idiotic pillock making his living.

(OK maybe he is a very nice chap but what he wrote makes him a pillock).

[007helicopter]

I very recently saw a note in cycling shop and meant to get the source, it was along the lines of Deaths in the UK and went somthing like...

OBESITY 37,000 pa
SMOKING 35,000 pa
CAR / ROAD 3500 pa
HOME 2000 pa
DIY 700 pa
CYLING 170 pa
PLANES / HELICOPTERS 50 pa

Sorry the figures are not accurate and there were a few more categories but I thought put things in some perspective.

PS Dont eat, drink or smoke to much tonight !!!

[quichemech]

Well gents, I've just put my money where my mouth is and e-mailed the Mirror, I would suggest that some of you do too. You never know it might make them think a little before writing such drivel, after all aren't they meant to be intelligent people?
I have asked for the gentleman to be given a good kick up the arse for his frankly insulting article, at a time when lots of families have lost loved ones.