Changes to MoD low flying rules: Sensible or knee-jerk reaction?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Changes to MoD low flying rules: Sensible or knee-jerk reaction?
Story from BBC NEWS
The death of a horse rider has prompted the Ministry of Defence to change its low-flying helicopter training policy.
Heather Bell, 38, from Lincolnshire, died after her horse was spooked by a low-flying helicopter and she fell to the ground in Market Rasen in 2003.
The MoD is expanding its low-flying hotline to include more detailed information on training flights as a result of an official review.
The minimum height for normal low flying has increased from 50 to 100 ft.
The information will be available from 3 October through an MoD freephone helpline.
The public will be able to find out when training is taking place in new designated low-flying areas and the times of planned flights outside these areas.
Horse riders will also be given more information on manoeuvres, including routes, speeds and altitudes.
A joint safety campaign with the British Horse Society will also be expanded to encourage riders to wear high visibility clothing to help helicopter crews spot them.
Air Commodore Garwood said low-flying will take place under 100 feet for some specific exercises.
The inquest into Mrs Bells' death found that the MoD's low flying policy was "insufficient".
Announcing the review's findings on Wednesday, Air Commodore Dick Garwood said: "Any death is completely unacceptable and that is the bottom line.
"If there is any single thing we can do to prevent another death happening while we are going about our training, then we will do it."
Mrs Bell, who was married with two young daughters, died from brain damage a day after the fall.
The helicopter was flying within current policy guidelines and had clearance to fly as low as 50ft.
The new designated training areas will mean that the majority of all low flights - 68% of the 45,000 yearly flights - will be within areas surrounding Britain's major air bases.
Those eight areas - including southern Cornwall covering the Culdrose air base and parts of Essex and East Anglia - cover just 6% of the UK's land area.
Under Secretary of State for Defence, Don Touhig, said: "Armed Forces helicopter crews must be able to train at low-level if they are to operate effectively around the world.
"Low flying is essential in battlefield operations for surveillance and other tactical support.
"But we aim to do everything feasible to minimize the risk to the public and particularly to horse riders."
The MoD freephone low-flying hotline number is 0800 51 55 44.
Rider's death prompts MoD changes
The death of a horse rider has prompted the Ministry of Defence to change its low-flying helicopter training policy.
Heather Bell, 38, from Lincolnshire, died after her horse was spooked by a low-flying helicopter and she fell to the ground in Market Rasen in 2003.
The MoD is expanding its low-flying hotline to include more detailed information on training flights as a result of an official review.
The minimum height for normal low flying has increased from 50 to 100 ft.
The information will be available from 3 October through an MoD freephone helpline.
The public will be able to find out when training is taking place in new designated low-flying areas and the times of planned flights outside these areas.
Horse riders will also be given more information on manoeuvres, including routes, speeds and altitudes.
A joint safety campaign with the British Horse Society will also be expanded to encourage riders to wear high visibility clothing to help helicopter crews spot them.
Air Commodore Garwood said low-flying will take place under 100 feet for some specific exercises.
The inquest into Mrs Bells' death found that the MoD's low flying policy was "insufficient".
Announcing the review's findings on Wednesday, Air Commodore Dick Garwood said: "Any death is completely unacceptable and that is the bottom line.
"If there is any single thing we can do to prevent another death happening while we are going about our training, then we will do it."
Mrs Bell, who was married with two young daughters, died from brain damage a day after the fall.
The helicopter was flying within current policy guidelines and had clearance to fly as low as 50ft.
The new designated training areas will mean that the majority of all low flights - 68% of the 45,000 yearly flights - will be within areas surrounding Britain's major air bases.
Those eight areas - including southern Cornwall covering the Culdrose air base and parts of Essex and East Anglia - cover just 6% of the UK's land area.
Under Secretary of State for Defence, Don Touhig, said: "Armed Forces helicopter crews must be able to train at low-level if they are to operate effectively around the world.
"Low flying is essential in battlefield operations for surveillance and other tactical support.
"But we aim to do everything feasible to minimize the risk to the public and particularly to horse riders."
The MoD freephone low-flying hotline number is 0800 51 55 44.
I can see where the man has a point....afterall he doubled the minimum safe altitude....and anyone knows a horse will not buck or runaway when a Chinook wokkas by at 100 feet above the equine hay burner. Right?
Join Date: May 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I wouldn't want to wish such an accident on anyone, but horseriding is one of the most dangerous sporting pursuits. It would be interesting to look at just how many accidents/deaths there are to horse riders each year. I have experienced several instances of nervous horses nearly throwing riders adjacent to busy roads, where cars are passing within a few feet of horse and rider and you don't see measures being brought in to prohibit cars or horses from roads to prevent accidents. I'm not sure there's a definitive answer, but they do seem to have over-reacted to me.
2Sticks
2Sticks
Horses walk around looking for something to be afraid of....Mules on the other hand....are quite placid creatures that can find their own footing in jumbled ground....
Better red than ...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Appleby-in-Westmorland Cumbria England
Posts: 1,412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
encourage riders to wear high visibility clothing to help helicopter crews spot them
Is it reasonable to assume that when some other unfortunate individual perishes as a 'result' of a Chinook thundering over, but this time at 100ft, that the MSD/agl minima will be doubled to 200ft? WAFLOB!
JJ
JJ
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: UK
Age: 60
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There are numerous bridle paths around a landing pad at a private house I sometimes visit in an R22. Unfortunately most of them are below avenue-like canopies of trees, so you can't see horses (although also the horses can't see us).
Depending on the wind, it's not practical to land without going over them at about 50 - 100ft as there is only about a 90 degree approach arc completely avoiding them, and that points straight at a nearby house. The paths are mostly within 100 - 400 yards of the landing area.
Any helpful comments appreciated on how to manage this from those who have practical experience.... this must be a regular issue at unlicensed pads outside towns, and with the best will in the world you are not going to see a rider on approach to a pad if the bridle path is edged with trees.
BW
Depending on the wind, it's not practical to land without going over them at about 50 - 100ft as there is only about a 90 degree approach arc completely avoiding them, and that points straight at a nearby house. The paths are mostly within 100 - 400 yards of the landing area.
Any helpful comments appreciated on how to manage this from those who have practical experience.... this must be a regular issue at unlicensed pads outside towns, and with the best will in the world you are not going to see a rider on approach to a pad if the bridle path is edged with trees.
BW
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: suffolk uk
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've bred horses and worked closely with them all my flying life. Horses, including highly strung thoroughbreds, are NOT unduly "spooked" by helicopters. I've overflown and landed next to literally hundreds without incedent.
Most ridden horses "spook" because their riders are nervous!
This is a pointless restriction to a most neccesary part of the military flying training regime brought about because the current leadership within the military and MoD is "spooked" by a vociferous pressure group.
Most ridden horses "spook" because their riders are nervous!
This is a pointless restriction to a most neccesary part of the military flying training regime brought about because the current leadership within the military and MoD is "spooked" by a vociferous pressure group.
It looks as if the RAF have made the mistake the Met Police did at Lippitts Hill a decade ago. Walking backwards in the face of criticism.
They moved to Lippitts in 1960 because it was quietish and remote.... started with helicopters and guns in the late 1960s and moved in their helicopters full time from 1976.... All this time they were next door to the RSAF firearms factory at Enfield [wall to wall machine guns and explosions from Napolionic times until 1988...] and to add to the mix they kept police dogs and horses on site. The horses were 'resting'......... certainly not nervous ... in the field next to the helipad.
Then they started listening to the neighbours just as the RSAF was closed down leaving them as the only noise nuisance left.
The upshot is that the neighbours with their horses have forced out all the guns to Kent leaving the helicopters alone on the site to fly a strict flight path in and out and a resolve to leave.....
By chance the Metropltan Police Air Support Unit celebrate their 25th this year [25 since the current unit was formulated, 29 years on site]
They moved to Lippitts in 1960 because it was quietish and remote.... started with helicopters and guns in the late 1960s and moved in their helicopters full time from 1976.... All this time they were next door to the RSAF firearms factory at Enfield [wall to wall machine guns and explosions from Napolionic times until 1988...] and to add to the mix they kept police dogs and horses on site. The horses were 'resting'......... certainly not nervous ... in the field next to the helipad.
Then they started listening to the neighbours just as the RSAF was closed down leaving them as the only noise nuisance left.
The upshot is that the neighbours with their horses have forced out all the guns to Kent leaving the helicopters alone on the site to fly a strict flight path in and out and a resolve to leave.....
By chance the Metropltan Police Air Support Unit celebrate their 25th this year [25 since the current unit was formulated, 29 years on site]
