Schama 'cheats death' in 'heli crash'
 

Nice story in Evening Standard about Simon Schama 'cheating death' in a helicopter 'crash landing' in Sierra Leone on Jan 13. According to the story the 'converted troop carrier from the Afghan War, which had been cleaned up' and was a 'death trap' operated by Paramount Airlines had climbed to about 100ft before there was a 'bang' and it 'plummeted' to the ground. Story also includes a comment about the crew - 'one thing about Russians is that their incompetence is total.'

Any one know the real story?

Nice to see the Evening Standard didn't succumb to the temptation to sensationalise the story!

Not sure how you post a link but below is the address.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbi...ash/article.do

Good point MrNosy.

I could beliveve there is "this story" and another real version of events. Probably nothing more than a compressor stall and precautionary landing by the Russian crew.

Hmm,

These will be the same incompetent Russians that designed the Mig 29 and the Sukhoi wossname? And the Mil 17 which flies like a dream (albeit wriggles a bit in turbulence and looks like hell!)

Probably just another media bluff, the Russians I have met abroad are usually very competent and skilled. They operate in places and in conditions where not everybody would dare to go. Just sometimes, a bit of confusing radio phraseology, but even this, is improving.

to make a vast generalisation about russian heli pilots, they are all great, and competent. (well, the two i've flown with were, so that's 100%). and they have great helis. i love how something from the afghan war is a relic and "death trap," just cause it's russian. had it been a nam-era huey it would have been a "freak mechanical failure..."