ABC Australia reporting that road access to epi center is still impossible and helicopters is the only way in.
But they also note that only 10 helicopters are available for the entire country.
Does this seems a low figure?

Mickjoebill

I'm sure the Army Air Service alone has more rotary wing a/c than that!

mickjoebill

There are more than 10 helicopters just from the private companies. I do not have the exact numbers but Simrik, Mountain, Fishtail, Dynasty, Manang, Shree have at least 2 helicopters in their fleet.

Thanks, yes Wiki lists 17 for army air sevice.
ABC again tonight making a point that there are too few helicopters with one reporter saying she had only seen one.
I think the journos are frustrated by still not being able to travel to the epi center so are keen to emphasise the reason.


Mickjoebill

MJB,

Journos are the last people needed, for most of em cannot tell a story without adding a spin of glory..Gory or pure sensationalism ,..to what the rest of us is a simple view on a tragedy of Biblical proportions ..!

Assuming you're not actually in Nepal PRB, you wouldn't even know about this event if it weren't for journalists reporting it.

1st Report: Evening Day 5 = Electricity is back
 

Om Brothers & Sisters......thanking You All for Your kind Heartfelt messages.

Power is now back on (in the KTM Valley), shops still closed, Veggie markets are 40% back, Spring waters are still OK. No Petrol. We are fine, after-shocks continue less frequently now, there were 4 every 1 hour, of magnitude 6.5 for the first 3 days continuously after the big ONE - 7.9.

The tragic enormity of this devastating Earthquake is yet to be comprehended..........with the Death toll in the tens of thousands. The lose of homes, infrastructure, livelihoods, Family Heirlooms, Historical artifacts etc. is enormous.

Yes many Nepali People need Our help here....So please for Your kind information....My Wife a Nepali Sherpa & I are helping set-up an Earthquake Victims Fund to rebuild destroyed Homes in effected remote areas, giving urgently needed funds to those effected directly when I fly there. Anyone wishing to help, please let me know?


Om Om Om

Be Happy.....:)

Neapl Earthquake
 

Jhamsakhil Fire-station :\ (just up the road from where we live) :ooh:
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...58544549F3.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...5D461D14_1.jpg

2nd Report - Nepal Earthquake
 

Flying Rotory machines on the 9N civil register = 19 :8

Military Rotory machines about the same number, airworthy & flying is the big???? :ouch:

Political ineptitude on a Grand scale is hampering efforts to Rescue Survivors, including getting much needed urgent survival resources to effected areas :ugh:
Nepali government?s delays frustrate international aid workers - The Washington Post

:eek:

Land Happy...Be Happy, we are Alive ;)

Thado Dungha 2 mins walk around the corner from home :yuk:
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...1A392830_1.jpg

Nepal Earthqauake
 

Sanepa Chowk, 6 mins walk from home :(http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...1B34E7FD_1.jpg

Good to hear from you VF.

.Once you have the fund set up share the info here. I personally don't trust funds created to give money directly to any government.

Especially the people that organise it. I have worked with the Ghurkhas in Borneo and Malaysia and I am more than willing to help them and their relatives but I have seen too much disappear into sponsor's pockets.

Indian Air Force has contributed few Helicopters, per some local news seen here in Singapore, and in the link posted above - it shows Indian Mi 17s.

3rd Report - Nepal Earthquake
 

6th day after the destructive 7.9 Earthquake hit. We now have intermittent electricity but often on half power, so water-pumps. fridges, etc can't run.

Life is not back to normal with the Peoples mood being very sombre.

Government is still hindering Rescue efforts as well as denying urgently needed help from landing at VNKT &/or held at the airport denying permission for delivery???
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good morning Soave_Pilot, Thanks Brother - Below.
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Hey Fareastdrive, sure is true, they are here in full force driving brand new Landcruisers, stay in exotic palaces or 5star Hotels & draw enormous salaries from Management above. One Manager here draws $usd45,000 per month & lives in a huge 6 bedroom house filled with servants & the finest oak furniture; obscene waste of donations.
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Hi helonorth, this article is filled with lies. There was no scuffle or fight between Trekkers & Villagers. There was no CoPilot or any Pilot taken hostage. Sadly a disturbed & disorientated, drunken local stumbled out of the forest into the Tail Rotor as the machine was about to lift-off, killing him instantly.
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G'day ecureilx, there are 2 Mi17's here from the Indian Airforce already flying.
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Be Happy we are alive

Great idea VF, good luck with the fund-raising.

These are very abnormal circumstances so take care in the air!

Tam

May I eat Your Pizza please
 

Out for a srtoll in the neighborhood
 

Water tank stand has seen better days
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...471E8BC5BA.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...C0E6A44A83.jpg

the strong stand, the rest fall (eventually)
 

Earthquake Damage
 

Money where it needs to be
 

This is the big challenge in a catastrophic event like this...how to get money direct to where it needs to be. Thanks Steve, I've sent some money your way. I know you'll get it to the pointy end.

Hello VF,

I have visited this thread since you started it, almost on a daily basis, to enjoy the "perfect marriage" of helicopters+mountains in your well-known "WOW" pictures. You definitely have my respect for your piloting and photography skills.

I have just added a small donation to your fund to thank you for the wonderful views of Nepal and as a gesture of sympathy to the great Nepali people in this difficult time.

Ciao,

aerolearner

@VF - A big :D:D:D for your effort to help. I hope my small contribution will ease the pain a bit. It will not be easy to for you to take the decisions, how to allocate the funds. May I suggest to stay in your neighborhood first? Makes it easier to justify.
All the best to you and I hope you may soon start showing more optimistic pictures of a wonderful country.
All the best.
And remember the old song - Always look on the bright side of life.

All,

I think we all (some secretly) love and aspire to VF/Steve's work. Whether you admire what he does in his manipulation of the machine in the upper part of the RFM graph, his photography, his sharing of the experience, his promotion of the capabilities of any of the AS350x family, his commitment to sticking the tail rotor wherever anyone isn't .... we get it. And to see the rescuer almost need rescuing is at the very least sobering, as it could happen to any of us.

I know Steve has been doing it tough the last week or so. Fortunately he is a vegetarian so has done quite well on spring water and weeds. ;) But he has done it not just without complaining, but with an eye to helping the people he has met every week, the people he knows need help, the people that have little profile or advocacy, the people in the the rural regions of Nepal who are at the ragged edge of community collapse when their binding infrastructure literally falls down around them.

It is the direct action of Steve and his wife Dolma Sherpini, that will make a difference. Hence his fund.

Cheers,

Pete

Put in my small contribution this morning and shared the link in facebook.

epicentre
 

VF and all,


http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquak...425.medium.jpg

lucky Kathmandu was not at the epicentre

DoT

prescient....
 

a couple of interesting links:

https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth-sci...uake-nightmare

https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth-sci...e-not-yet-over

Dot

4th Report - Nepal Earthquake
 

Hey MikeJulietHotel, thank You Brother, we are excited that in a small way we can give hope with a new home, at least to a few.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bless You aerolearner
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Bless You too Rotorbee, I Liove that song - 'always look on the bright side of Life' ;)
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WoW Peter3127 thanks Brother, what can I say; Big Hug & the show must go ON! :ok:
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Good onya krohmie many thanks.
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Yikes DoT, I have seen KTM was not the epicenter, there around the epicenter - NOTHING is standing :{ nothing
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Many, many thanks to Your thoughtful, heartfelt caring...Om
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...CF997D9501.jpg

Tanky duties
 

My BeLoved Wife cleans our water tanks as we have no water :ooh:
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...04AB72061A.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...872E510639.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...615FF5501A.jpg

Mother Earth's destructive force
 

Spark Health Hospital (Ayurvedic Natural Health centre)
 

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...2FD20927_8.jpg

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...BF0896E4_8.jpg

Our Kitchen on the day
 

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...4A0DBD6_10.jpg
the Earth sure did move here, but thankfully our Home was spared from any damage.
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...712C904E_8.jpg

Kathmandu - Nepal
 

5th Earthquake Report
 

Day 9, Earthquakes continue, but with less frequency. First few days it was 3 or 4 per hour, now it's every 3 or 4 hours there's ONE, sometimes up to 6.6, so sadly weakened building are still collapsing......when the earth moves like this; it is truly FRIGHTENING
http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...82256F9E_1.jpg

Dear VF,
have spread the word about your noble fund raising action
on some dedicated groups.
Hope for the best, for you and the people, affected by our mother nature :ok:

Little donation from Dorset, UK winging its way to you all in Nepal. Thinking of you guys and realise how fortunate I was to have a 45 year career flying helicopters without having to face what you have had to

TC

Donated
 

Well done VF. Glad I am able to help in a small way.

It's nice to see the money going directly where it's needed too. :D

John

VF,

Thanks for your valiant effort. Your are a great ambassador for our profession.

HS

All the best to you, Steve! :ok: