PHOENIX "rescue" No thanks!


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From: London/Atlanta

Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
This could be interesting since the Phoenix PD organised a media event straight after the incident where the crew stated that she was uninjured by the spin..........
Thread Starter

Joined: Nov 2009
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From: southern half
I've just watched that again. OMG, how did she even survive that?
There was a couple of opportunities to end that spin, lowering to the ground / bushes slowly, that that weren't taken.
That video will be used for the next 20 years as a crew demonstration of what happens when there's no tag line attached.
Was there initially a tag line? If so what happed to it?
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From: Gold Coast, Australia
Joined: Mar 2016
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From: US
One thing I learned from listening to law enforcement people over 4 years of taking care of their helicopter and listening to stories of dealing with the public was their almost universal disdain when people lie to them. I'm not calling this a fault, it is completely understandable. If you watched their press conference after this you would have seen a serious song and dance, not to mention hugs all around, I assume when they thought the camera was off. This was one they should have gotten in front of and taken responsibility for. I hope that rather than dancing harder and faster they stop by the local donut shop for some humble pie. I'm sure internally they have a very good idea of how/why this happened and by now how it should have been avoided. If you want to dance, sometime you have to pay the piper.
Last edited by roscoe1; 28th November 2019 at 05:20.

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From: EGDC
Unregistered - in order for the tag line (we call it a hi-line) to be effective, it needs to either be attached to one end of the stretcher or attached to the aircraft hook and then routed through the end of the stretcher.
The other important factor is that the person on the ground has to know how to use the line to prevent a spin.
There was one attached initially but in the middle of the stretcher so it would be very ineffective in preventing, let alone controlling, the spin.
As I have said before - everyone thinks winching looks soooo easy - right up until it goes wrong because you weren't trained properly or didn't practice the skills.
You can see the crew chief doesn't have a scooby about what to do - he sticks his foot out to try and stop the stretcher spinning FFS.
The crew should have been very ashamed of that press conference.
The other important factor is that the person on the ground has to know how to use the line to prevent a spin.
There was one attached initially but in the middle of the stretcher so it would be very ineffective in preventing, let alone controlling, the spin.
As I have said before - everyone thinks winching looks soooo easy - right up until it goes wrong because you weren't trained properly or didn't practice the skills.
You can see the crew chief doesn't have a scooby about what to do - he sticks his foot out to try and stop the stretcher spinning FFS.
The crew should have been very ashamed of that press conference.


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From: Den Haag
....was their almost universal disdain when people lie to them. I'm not calling this a fault, it is completely understandable
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From: US
Perhaps i should have said that although they were willing to tolerate bad behaviour of some sorts, lying was not one of those things easily overlooked.
Last edited by roscoe1; 28th November 2019 at 18:27.

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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
which at present is all over their faces.
Not impressed. These guys don't seem to be operating in the same universe as us. Certainly there is more of a problem with larger aircraft but just a different resultant wind direction or different shape of closure on the cas bag and it's away! They don't seem to be prepared.
Not impressed. These guys don't seem to be operating in the same universe as us. Certainly there is more of a problem with larger aircraft but just a different resultant wind direction or different shape of closure on the cas bag and it's away! They don't seem to be prepared.


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From: Falling off the end of the thread
Ouch, I hope it was a practice winching.
Has got to be one of those every one dreads, it would feel like being in a centrifuge.

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From: PLanet Earth

Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Not a Pilot
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While uncomfortable would this be dangerous? The person is spinning around their axis. It's not like you are being spun on an arm like in a centrifuge.
Remembering my childhood and being spun mercilessly on a roundabout.
Remembering my childhood and being spun mercilessly on a roundabout.

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From: On land

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From: EGDC
It's what happens when you let poorly trained amateurs loose with a winch equipped helicopter and also a demonstration of how to make a slightly injured casualty much, much worse.



