Topeka police - Police helicopter: Review in order
 

CJOnline / The Topeka Capital-Journal - Police helicopter: Review in order

Chief is being prudent in seeking advice on how Topeka police should operate copter unit

The Capital-Journal Editorial Board
Published Monday, January 05, 2009
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation has determined the pilots weren't responsible for causing the April 5 crash of a Topeka Police Department helicopter at Washburn University.
The NTSB, in a report released last month, attributed the crash to a mechanical malfunction and an encounter with a light pole during an emergency landing attempted as a result of the malfunction.

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File Photograph / The Capital-Journal
The city owns this Schweizer 300C helicopter, but it was already on backup status when the newer copter crashed.


Topeka Police Chief Ron Miller doesn't dispute the board's findings on the cause of the crash, but he didn't need the report to prompt him to reconsider how the department selects and trains its pilots and whether changes are warranted.
Given the unit's history in this decade — two officers were killed in a June 2000 crash in west Topeka and another pilot was forced to make an emergency landing during a training flight — we think Miller has cause to question his department's procedures and the experience of its pilots.
As the department's leader, he is responsible for the safety of the officers flying the helicopters and ensuring they don't fall to the ground and harm themselves or innocent civilians.
While he agrees with the NTSB that the latest crash wasn't caused by pilot error, Miller said he still wants to explore the pilots' response to the mechanical malfunction.
"I want to know if there were other possible responses, and what they reasonably would have been," he said.
Miller noted the pilot in command of the department's Robinson R-44 helicopter on April 5 was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and had almost 500 hours of flight time, but he wonders whether a pilot with 2,000 hours may have reacted differently.
He also questions whether the department should change its policy of selecting officers from its ranks for pilot training.
The chief should have ample time to find the answers to his questions before the helicopter unit he grounded after the crash returns to the sky over Topeka.
The Robinson R-44 hasn't been replaced. The department's only other helicopter is an older Schweizer 300C that was being used as a backup. Funding for the helicopter unit was included in the city's 2009 budget, but the Topeka City Council later shifted some of the money to another agency, leaving the police department short of what it needs to operate the unit for a full year.
Also, an aviation consultant's review of the helicopter program that Miller sought after the April 5 crash couldn't be completed until the NTSB issued its report. He expects that review sometime this month and has said it would include recommendations on the number of pilots required and the amount of training they should receive.
If the review recommends that the department search elsewhere for pilots, or that they have more than the 150 hours of flight time the department now requires of those who fly its helicopters, city council members should insist those recommendations be implemented before the unit resumes operations.




150 hours of flight time the department now requires of those who fly its helicopters, YIKES!

"YIKES"

Bit of an understatement...

The reality is that once signed off to fly PIC, it's pretty standard to have a more senior pilot in the other seat for the next few hundred hours.

So do they usually fly that 300 with 2 people on board ? Must be pretty close to MAUW, no?

I think they should do as the UK Police do, have commercial pilots to fly the things.

All do respect to the Police officers who want to have a blast at flying but imo a pilot to fly commercial operations needs that "love" for helicopter flight to get through any cpl(h) course, Experience for such operations just can't be had with 150 hours, I have 150 hours all in Robbies and even if it was allowed he I wouldnt feel qualified to fly on op's.

Why does the Pilot need to be a copper? He's got enough to do flying the thing, do they hope he's gonna hover along side and cuff someone?

The money it cost them to train a Police officer to even 150 hours out weighs a pilots annual sallery for 12 months, then they have to pay the copper anyway..... Get a qualified Commercial pilot in from day one, no real training costs, just his pay, less risk, less money more experience..... the list goes on, these guys just dont make any sence at all, who's sorting there budget out is what needs to be asked.......

Dig into the article at the original site and read some of the comments by local readers. One of them has a very keen observation that I am sure the Chief will be considering.

"Dig into the article at the original site and read some of the comments by local readers. One of them has a very keen observation that I am sure the Chief will be considering."

Yeah I think he's right on the money there. I dont know how many helo's they have actually lost so far, the figures dont look good so far though, but..... apart from this one, there was what 1 crash from mechanical failure? killing 2?! and 1 forced landing in training due to mechanical failure... why so many? are machines being looked after properly over there? I dont know just seems alot of problems for a small operation dont you think?

Even that dolly platform has seen better days:E

Police Helicopter crash Wasburn University
 

Surveillance camera footage of Topeka helicopter crash at Washburn University

LiveLeak.com - Surveillance camera records police helicopter crash

Night operations in a new R44 flown by a 150 hour pilot!

Sounds like a plan, what could possibly go wrong..........