French MP and billionaire Olivier Dassault dies in helicopter crash

[Carbon Bootprint]

French MP and billionaire Olivier Dassault has died in a helicopter crash in north-western France.

The accident occurred on Sunday evening in Normandy where he had a holiday home, according to police sources.

In his tribute, President Emanuel Macron said Dassault, 69, loved France and his death would be "a great loss".

Dassault was the son of industrialist Serge Dassault, whose group builds Rafale war planes and owns Le Figaro newspaper.

Full story on the Beeb.

[piesupper]

and here

https://on.rt.com/b3a8

[Del Prado]

Le décès d'Olivier Dassault et du pilote a été confirmé dimanche par Delphine Mienniel, procureur de la République de Lisieux, qui s'est rendu sur place. Le Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation civile a indiqué dans un tweet que l'appareil, un Aérospatiale AS350 Écureuil, s'était écrasé «au décollage», effectué «depuis un terrain privé».

The Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety said in a tweet that the aircraft, an Aerospatiale AS350 Squirrel, had crashed "on takeoff", carried out "from private land".

[ApolloHeli]

Reported as F-GIBM (AS 350 B). Weather at nearby Deauville (LFRG):

METAR LFRG 071800Z AUTO 03008KT CAVOK 03/M02 Q1023 NOSIG=
METAR LFRG 071730Z AUTO 02008KT CAVOK 04/M03 Q1023 NOSIG=
METAR LFRG 071700Z AUTO 01008KT CAVOK 05/M02 Q1023 NOSIG=
METAR LFRG 071630Z AUTO 01010KT 340V040 CAVOK 06/M02 Q1023 NOSIG=
METAR LFRG 071600Z AUTO 02008KT 340V050 CAVOK 06/M02 Q1023 NOSIG=

[172510]

His own AS 350 B reg F-GIBM .

[cavuman1]

Now, at last, le Petit Prince has some fine company along with Monsieur Antoine de Saint-Exupery....

- Edvard

[atakacs]

Still baffled by the number of extremely wealthy people giving their life to rotorcrafts over the years..

[nomorehelosforme]

Once again another VVIP flight with a single pilot, why do people with all the money in the world keep doing this!!!

That said there have been many in-depth discussions on here regarding 2 pilot operations that have had some grim outcomes

More information here,

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/248616

[atakacs]

Well we don't know if it played a role but I'd agree that if you can afford 2 pilot + dual turbine seems a prudent approach to those flying contraptions.

[havick]

Two pilot ops have killed just as many fancy passengers.

[Gustaf2]

Man another wealthy guy dead in a helicopter crash :/

[filejw]

Originally Posted by atakacs

Still baffled by the number of extremely wealthy people giving their life to rotorcrafts over the years..

Helicopter generally are flown in more risk exposure environments and have many more critical parts than fixed wing aircraft. Just the nature of the beast so to speak and I assume most of the people who own and or use helicopters know the increased risk. I remember in 1970 an old US Army pilot telling me helicopter accident losses in Vietnam almost the same as those lost in combat.

[helonorth]

Originally Posted by atakacs

Well we don't know if it played a role but I'd agree that if you can afford 2 pilot + dual turbine seems a prudent approach to those flying contraptions.

This only seems to kill twice as many pilots.

[gulliBell]

Photo of emergency services responding on a very dark night. I think they'll wrap this investigation up quite quickly. Probably nothing new here.

[lederhosen]

Olivier Dassault was an extremely accomplished pilot, graduate of the French Air Force academy and rated on many aircraft. I don't know for sure, but I would be very surprised if he was not rated on his own helicopter. Someone else I knew always flew his own turbine helicopter with with another pilot, basically two crew operations.

[skadi]

Originally Posted by gulliBell

Photo of emergency services responding on a very dark night. I think they'll wrap this investigation up quite quickly. Probably nothing new here.

The crash happend during daylight before sunset around 18:00 LCL, SS 18:50
According to the S/N the AS350 was built in the early eighties!

Skadi

[ApolloHeli]

Originally Posted by gulliBell

Photo of emergency services responding on a very dark night. I think they'll wrap this investigation up quite quickly. Probably nothing new here.

It was CAVOK, about 10kts of wind and more than an hour before official night. Disorientation would be a stretch here.

[4468]

Olivier Dassault was an extremely accomplished pilot, graduate of the French Air Force academy and rated on many aircraft. I don't know for sure, but I would be very surprised if he was not rated on his own helicopter. Someone else I knew always flew his own turbine helicopter with with another pilot, basically two crew operations.

One can only imagine what having the billionaire aircraft owner and pilot’s employer as an actual crew member might do to CRM and/or any decision making process? 😳

Not a situation I’d like to be in.

[skadi]

Originally Posted by 4468

One can only imagine what having the billionaire aircraft owner and pilot’s employer as an actual crew member might do to CRM and/or any decision making process? 😳

Not a situation I’d like to be in.

It was a chartered helicopter:

https://www.abchelico.com/#3

skadi

[alicopter]

Originally Posted by skadi

It was a chartered helicopter:

https://www.abchelico.com/#3

skadi

The machine operator is Dolijet and "D assault Oli vier" is the sole shares owner, surely that makes it his own.... They hit a tree on take off...
May they rest in peace, both of them and thank you Mr Dassault for such contributions to a shared passion, Aviation.