Call for private helicopters to aid bushfire response

[mickjoebill]

Clive Palmer just tweeted...

https://twitter.com/clivefpalmer/status/1213428017315434496?s=21


mjb

[Jabberwocky82]

****. No. Please do not do this.

[Squawk7700]

Don’t be so quick to dismiss. There have been a number of “luxury” vessels that have rescued people from Mallacoota that the Navy were unable to rescue. Can’t see this being much different assuming that the pilots are suitably qualified.

[thunderbird five]

Could that helicopter actually lift Clive Palmer?:E

[thunderbird five]

Should only take four to six weeks to get the CASR 21.197(f) Special Flight Permit organised, then Clive's operations can legally begin. Anyone needing a lift, can you hang on til then.
Aren't we lucky that CASA is not in charge of the boating world. "Picking up scorched people off a burning beach constitutes a commercial operation. Doing so without an OOC (Oceanic Operations Certificate) is an offence of strict liability. Penalty: 5 jillion penalty units."

[SRFred]

Given visibility in many areas has been less than 50 metres for the last week regardless of wind or calm I can't imagine it being used anway.

[SCPL_1988]

It begs the question as to which politicians one might be willing to shake hands with
let alone be obliged to reward Clive with a good deeds award.

[junior.VH-LFA]

Yeah flying a civilian helicopter into a disaster zone where coordinated ADF and Firefighting operations are ongoing in low visibility conditions seems like a brilliant idea.

[Capt Fathom]

Yeah flying a civilian helicopter into a disaster zone where coordinated ADF and Firefighting operations are ongoing in low visibility conditions seems like a brilliant idea.

I can’t see where Clive said that in his tweet?

[Clare Prop]

He'd be more help donating some of his millions to the Salvos, Red Cross, WIRES etc and staying as far away as possible.

[industry insider]

Could that helicopter actually lift Clive Palmer?https://www.pprune.org/images/smilies/evil.gif

Yes, its one of the few in that class that can!

[longrass]

The guys holds status as a living national treasure. Owns a multi million dollar helicopter and you f*ckn retards think it ok to back out his 5000 hour ex mil pilot for flying people out of harms way... ok. Back to my home in the hole.

[Sunfish]

Shirley you are joking.

[Desert Flower]

Shirley you are joking.

Who's Shirley?

DF.

[Sunfish]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KM2K7sV-K74

[Atlas Shrugged]

The guys holds status as a living national treasure.

I'm glad someone thinks he thinks he is a 'national treasure'. It must be a very nice alternate reality to live in.

[Global Aviator]

However... A bloke offers an asset and you bag him, put differences aside and say thank you. It is after all the GREAT Aussie spirit talking.

[PDR1]

Some people obviously feel it's more important to be dicks than to save lives. It's in times of stress that peoples' true character comes to the fore.

PDR

[cattletruck]

The ultimate gesture would be if he offered this asset with no strings attached to those who could repurpose it in some very useful way. I have no idea if he has done this already and have no info on the quals of his pilots.

[Capt Fathom]

Personal experience there Sunfish, or just heresay?

[ShyTorque]

Irrespective of these inappropriate personal gripes of some at what is surely a time of national crisis and great tragedy...
Being on the other side of the globe and not being a local, if I were in a position to offer my services to the Ozmates as a helicopter pilot, I would certainly do so.

[Jabberwocky82]

You would be much more useful donating your time to such things as driving hay around, fixing fences etc. They already have dedicated rescue machines on the fire grounds who don’t do a whole lot as it is, putting private operators in to that mix along with the other water moving aircraft is not a good idea at all.
The 5000 hour Blackhawk pilot would appreciate that.

[ShyTorque]

If they don’t need (Blackhawk and fire bucket qualified) pilots with over twice that experience, so be it.

[havick]

You would be much more useful donating your time to such things as driving hay around, fixing fences etc. They already have dedicated rescue machines on the fire grounds who don’t do a whole lot as it is, putting private operators in to that mix along with the other water moving aircraft is not a good idea at all.
The 5000 hour Blackhawk pilot would appreciate that.

There’s a big difference between the fire itself and a fire base / rural airport.

A private machine isn’t really getting in the way if they aren’t on the fire ground itself. Still plenty of other ancillary tasks that could be helpful, such as moving injured wildlife etc.

Moving people around in a private machine though is probably unwise given the liability etc.

The reality is though there isn’t really the infrastructure there to coordinate private aircraft that aren’t on the NAFC/Airdesk register.

Airdesk won’t touch you with a 10ft pole for obvious reasons, but nothing stopping them giving approval to fly yourself in to an airbase to pick someone or something up.

[junior.VH-LFA]

If they don’t need (Blackhawk and fire bucket qualified) pilots with over twice that experience, so be it.

To operate Clive's private aircraft in a private capacity?

C19/20 REVIEW C1743/19
INTENSE AVIATION ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH FIREFIGHTING OPS
IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY BAIRNSDALE - MANSFIELD - ALBURY - THENCE VIA
THE STATE BORDER TO CAPE HOWE THENCE COT TO LAKES ENTRANCE -
BAIRNSDALE
ACFT NOT COORDINATED THROUGH THE VICTORIAN STATE AIRDESK ARE REQ TO
REMAIN CLEAR
VICTORIAN STATE AIRDESK TEL 1300 134 144
FIREGROUND FREQ 132.55, 135.55, 128.9, 126.35 AND 131.85
SFC TO 6000FT AMSL
FROM 01 060549 TO 01 200600 EST

He can go and donate money if he really wants to help out.

[ShyTorque]

To operate Clive's private aircraft in a private capacity?

C19/20 REVIEW C1743/19
INTENSE AVIATION ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH FIREFIGHTING OPS
IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY BAIRNSDALE - MANSFIELD - ALBURY - THENCE VIA
THE STATE BORDER TO CAPE HOWE THENCE COT TO LAKES ENTRANCE -
BAIRNSDALE
ACFT NOT COORDINATED THROUGH THE VICTORIAN STATE AIRDESK ARE REQ TO
REMAIN CLEAR
VICTORIAN STATE AIRDESK TEL 1300 134 144
FIREGROUND FREQ 132.55, 135.55, 128.9, 126.35 AND 131.85
SFC TO 6000FT AMSL
FROM 01 060549 TO 01 200600 EST

He can go and donate money if he really wants to help out.

Firefighting ops is one thing (and I've done it in the past), obviously that's no place for any un-coordinated aircraft to be operating.
But helicopters can obviously be used in many other ways, well away from the fire front. All the disgruntlement and about someone offering to help is hard to fathom. I take it you aren't one of the thousands of needy folk directly affected by this awful tragedy?

[megan]

Moving people around in a private machine though is probably unwise given the liability etcI've read that Esso have used their 139's, which are in the private category, in support of fire operations. Didn't say doing what exactly, but a thumbs up to the company if fact.

[jimjim1]

Perhaps Mr Palmer could offer to use the machine to do a bit of Aerial Banner flying in support of the reduction of the risk of such fires in the future?

I offer my suggestion. Perhaps Greta Thunberg has something punchier handy?
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/496x406/koalas_or_coal_cc2f7b7e50cab68e48153073ced00067c514e819.png

[ALLAUSFLIER]

I've read that Esso have used their 139's, which are in the private category, in support of fire operations. Didn't say doing what exactly, but a thumbs up to the company if fact.

The Esso 139s are one the national SAR register I believe. I’d say they were tasked by JRCC to assist.