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Tourist dies in fall from helicopter

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Tourist dies in fall from helicopter

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Old 27th Feb 2008, 07:12
  #61 (permalink)  
 
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The richer and fatter they are, the more you have to remind them to remain seated until instructed. Sound familiar?

I bet he was wearing a cap. And white socks. Fat foxtrot
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Old 27th Feb 2008, 08:33
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The richer and fatter they are, the more you have to remind them to remain seated until instructed. Sound familiar?

I bet he was wearing a cap. And white socks. Fat foxtrot

Dragman

Absolutelly!
It never ceases to amaze me that despite giving safety briefings prior to every flight, the fatter, richer, more obnoxious members of our public, always think they know better!
I should point out that these ones are few and far between, but they do exist and the majority of pax are great to work with.
I had a bunch of them on a chartered heli lunch last year, after they'd been fed, watered and arrived at the heli more than an hour late, thot it would be funny to lift the door handle on one of the doors in the back, just to see what would happen! !
At 2000ft and 110 kts, it wasnt funny!

H-J
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Old 1st Mar 2008, 14:45
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Yeah but it not just rich c**ts that have issues around running helicopters, plenty of normally sane people get weird when you start the engines.

You say....."Dont walk down the back, dont raise your hands or anything else above your head, this is the way the door handle works, press to talk "etc etc etc
They hear...weeeeeeeeeeee

No one listens, they get all hyped up like their had too many wine biscuits and start pushing on controls and stomping on things, what a bunch of spastics!

I honestly think most people in the helicopter are there to kill themselves and take me with them.
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Old 1st Mar 2008, 17:11
  #64 (permalink)  
 
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What a bunch of spastics!

Tuk Tuk BoomBoom,
As the brother of a person whom had the misfortune to be born with a medical condition by which he was referred to as a spastic, and verbally and physically abused in public, I would very much appreciate it if you would edit that phrase from your post.

Thank you.
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Old 1st Mar 2008, 19:19
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Certainly operating the tourist trade can be extremely unnerving. One is forever on one's toes just waiting for that nasty phone call, and when it happpens, as passengers it'll be the worlds smartest lawyers daughter on her honeymoon with the worlds richest man's son. says murphy.

However there is one sure indicator of a smart arse pilot.

No trade or lessening trade in a good market

nothing spreads faster than tourist talk.

the tourist trade is generally worse than being a dairy farmer
you must be there seven days a week, rain hail or shine, they can kick you, s**t on you like cows do, but they also ~ talk back.~ and believe that their watch is always one minute slower than yours.
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Old 1st Mar 2008, 23:16
  #66 (permalink)  
 
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I'm disgusted to see these accusations of HH "flying like a maniac". As others have said, this whole exercise reeks of yet another Yank out to make a quick dollar out of someone else's misfortune by way of a lawsuit. Need I point out that HH is one of the survivors of the wildest days of the venison heli-recovery of the 70's and 80's -no mean feat on its own, certainly not a period that any of the "maniacs" survived.

These quick little sound-bite throw-away lines that the media pounce on are exceedingly dangerous and harmful to the individual and the industry. What experience of heli-recovery does this individual have? To any average joe-punter, the mildest of heli-recovery manoeuvring would feel like the wildest ride on the planet. With no previous experience to draw on, these comments should be repudiated and totally disregarded.

I wonder if the victim followed instructions... or was he the architect of his own demise?
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Old 2nd Mar 2008, 03:22
  #67 (permalink)  
 
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"I would very much appreciate it if you would edit that phrase from your post."

What, now you cant even say spastic?
I thought you couldnt say retard?

Well what do you call a guy that gets out of helicopter against instructions and walks off a cliff?
What about punters that get out of the machine wearing the headset and start walking off??
Etc etc etc
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Old 2nd Mar 2008, 11:32
  #68 (permalink)  
 
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What, now you cant even say spastic?
I thought you couldnt say retard?
Jesus. What do call a guy who thinks a polite request is something about being PC?

TT
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Old 2nd Mar 2008, 11:43
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Yes well we all know about retards, it's something from behind that helps start them recips an motorcars on those coldish mornings.

But as th---- are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, to elicit certain reactions.

well how is anyone to know what's a hangin' behind the door. No need to get all uppity about something that's not apparant.
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Old 2nd Mar 2008, 20:15
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As reported by NZ regional newspaper, Mr Senter - apart from being a fat sepo, was arthritic, relatively unfit, and wearing un-appropriate footwear (soft rubber soled shoes).

With passengers like these, the kid gloves have to come off.

Poses a difficult situation for the companies involved.
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Old 3rd Mar 2008, 00:28
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What a bunch of spastics!

TukTuk BoomBoom,
I respectfully requested that you edit that phrase from your post.

You respond with derision.

I believe that the nature of the statements directed against the elderly passenger are incompatible with the 'Professional Pilots' status of the Forum.

Irrespective of the perceived or actual wealth, health, personality, experience, clothing or intention of the deceased, there exists no basis to repeatedly refer to him in such intentionally malicious terms.

The elderly passenger is unable to speak on his own behalf as he fell 164 metres to his death, in front of his family and friends, from a cliff that appears to have been unknown to the Pilot and Guide.

The fact that these postings may be read by the family and friends of the deceased appears not to have occurred to those whom post.

Likewise, the fact that lawyers acting for the family or passengers may use the postings to illustrate the lack of professionalism and utter disregard for human life apparent within.

As may the media.

Both lawyers and media may ask why an experienced Pilot and Guide were unaware that an unguarded 164 metre cliff was within the stepping distance of their elderly unfit passenger at the chosen landing site.

The death of this man is a tragedy, please allow him some dignity in death.
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Old 3rd Mar 2008, 01:30
  #72 (permalink)  
 
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Don't you just love the joe public.

I've heard worse said about rotary and fixed wing mustering pilots from people who have absolutely no idea of what is going on. And the media just love it to be able to portray us as Rambo style pilots, especially when there is an accident.

HH was most likely just doing what he was asked to do by the terrorist.... sorry tourist.
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Old 3rd Mar 2008, 01:42
  #73 (permalink)  
 
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Spastic, retard or both, how is someone offended by this kind of word. It's not directed at the brother, it is used to describe someone who is trying to screw someone in this industry out of money. We should all know by now that those outside this industry don't really have much of a clue as to how it works, who is good, who is bad and who is average.
PC is just a wank. Why can we no longer tell the truth? Calling things as they are is now a crime. You can not speak your mind in case you "offend" some poor sole, even though you're not talking to them or about them. Bull**** as far as I'm concerned..............
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Old 3rd Mar 2008, 02:02
  #74 (permalink)  
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OK, we've had the PC episode. Back on topic or this is going to end in tears.
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Old 3rd Mar 2008, 06:06
  #75 (permalink)  
 
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I disagree there has been disregard for human life here, more frustration that yet again there has been another tragedy that could have been avoided. Whether walking into a tail rotor, up hill upon disembarking of falling over a bluff, it can all be avoided through communication of ALL on board the machine. If this thread brings the gravity of the situation to a new pilot (or any pilot for that matter) through jest or not, then it has achieved its aim.

I'm off for a beer. ciao.
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Old 3rd Mar 2008, 12:25
  #76 (permalink)  
 
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The coronial is only round one.
Denegrating the driver, his crew and company, part of the theatre.
I suggest everyone buckles up their seat belts ~ real tight.

IMHO that IF the unfortunate gentleman fell,
in front of his family and friends
,
then one has to wonder how a driver could have flown like a maniac with a machine that had six people on board? (two hunters, their wives, a hosty and the driver, not to mention some heavy artillery and refreshments for sure.)

Had the others been landed there before, [without falling off] or is it regular to do quick stops and other critical maneuvering things at altiutude with fully loaded C30's or similar size donks?
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Old 28th Mar 2008, 08:58
  #77 (permalink)  
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TV3 NZ:

Helicopter landing site involved in fatal fall 'treacherous'
Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:51a.m.

A landing site chosen by a helicopter pilot whose trophy-hunting passenger fell to his death in Central Otago was "very small" and "treacherous", an expert witness has testified at a Queenstown inquest.

Coroner Alan Macalister yesterday resumed his inquest into the death of American hunter Clifford Wayne Senter, 57, who was killed on May 22, 2006, when he fell down a 184-metre cliff face near Wanaka after stepping out of the helicopter.

Mr Senter, his friend Nelson Rapanot and wives were on a guided expedition with Leithen Valley Trophy Hunts in a helicopter flown by pilot Harvey Hutton.

Giving evidence yesterday, professional mountain and ski guide Gary Dickson, of Wanaka, said the landing site chosen for the hunting party to disembark was very small for three people and treacherous because of slippery conditions, the Otago Daily Times reported.

"I consider it fortunate that there were not further injuries or deaths of at least one or other members of this party that unloaded on to that site under those conditions that afternoon," Mr Dickson told the inquest.

The Wanaka Alpine Cliff Rescue Team leader was involved in efforts to recover Mr Senter's body and later visited the site as part of the investigation into the fatality.

Following the incident, Mr Dickson identified a list of nine safety issues and recommendations to avoid any similar incident, which he said yesterday were "preliminary findings" to help the police investigation.

His concerns included a lack of communication between hunting guide Rachel Stewart and Mr Hutton, the choice of landing site, the boots worn by Mr Senter, the loss of visual contact between Miss Stewart and Mr Senter moments before he fell, and guides being pressured to "cave in" on safety issues.

Mr Dickson also told Mr Macalister there was a need for a more objective and detailed investigation of the incident, either by himself, an agency such as the Civil Aviation Authority, or another independent organisation.

He said that included what role, if any, the hunting trip's "reward" method of payment - where pilots are paid only if clients successfully shot an animal - played in the tragedy.

Mr Macalister promised a "remorseless" examination of the facts.

He said he would adjourn the inquest at its conclusion to allow Mr Dickson to provide police with a list of his concerns.

The hearing, which sat initially for three days last month, continues today.

NZPA
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Old 29th Mar 2008, 00:42
  #78 (permalink)  
 
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Thanks for that SP. The two statements
guides being pressured to "cave in" on safety issues
and
"reward" method of payment - where pilots are paid only if clients successfully shot an animal
should provide all with plenty to ponder upon.
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