I was panicking for a minute there but then I realised there are no GNAAS stickers on it...!!!! Ha. Clearly that dauphin is not a dauphin, it doesn't exist, never has, must be a ghost or something.

Gents, the subtle glorification of a truly **** bit of airmanship is a risk to our brethren on ROTORHEAD with low skills a high egos. There are no circumstances acceptable EVER to fly in such a manner as to risk the safety of your aircraft or crew.

On the first glance, you‘re right.
But as always, only having little information, who knows?
May be the crew knows the routing, has been there before, is it a bad weather crossing opportunity?
May be it’s just the ridge, much better 500 meters before and behind?
May be they are on a live saving mission, where somebody will die for sure, if they don’t fly?
Seems, the crew is working together, with an open door for better vis.
They are going slowly at the side of the road to avoid trucktraffic, gear down.
They have a stone wall, which makes good visual reference.
I wouldnˋt throw the first stone, cause I have been in an similar situation, just worse.
Caught out in a heavy shower at night (NVG), radar telling me, either way around at least 15 miles of ****ty weather....
Hillside, with trees.
So I ended up, hovering along a powerline, which I illuminated with the landing light, cause I couldn’t see from mast to mast and would have certainly ended in it, if I had lost sight of it.
One eye on the fuel gauge, which seemed to empty far to fast, hoping for a clearing, where I could put the bird down - but didn’t find one.
Nowadays I for sure circumnavigate that area if the weather gets bad again - and or terminate the flight.
Still, last winter, have been searching for someone on another hillside, where the wind cumulated the clouds along the slope.
It was night again and we were around 100 feet ground in some places, but with an escaperoute visiable and a crew, who worked together. Would have been an interesting sight from the ground as well...

That was one thing that struck me when going through Shawbury. On BFTS when the weather was too bad for GH we did IF, on helicopters when the weather was too bad for IF, we did GH!

May be there are no powerlines along this road?
If you fly an assigned area, you normally have some bad weather routes, which you know throughout, especially where the wires are and where not.
“My area“ is also divided by a long ridgeline, where clouds like to accumulate.
Every 20 miles or so I know a gap, where I could try, if need be, without risking to encounter unknown powerlines.
Its always a juggle between the mission, the experience of the crew and what you can do without risking too much....

@212man
so it’s military flying, not civil
and risking their lives to protect and serve is part of their job.
Sure they won‘t tell us why they were there 😏

All I see is a “weather balloon”................

Well said Crab! I want my special forces that protect me to be the best most experienced and capable in the world.

Crab.....I doubt very much that flying through Cumbria constitutes a viable military response. Even if it did.......never risk the cab and crew. I too have served my time, mil, HEMS ETC. There are rules....even in the military....that expressly prevent such activity and you know that Crab! But hey...let’s all wave our Willy’s about.

Shy....there are rules to prevent the young, dumb and full of c*m from self destructing. We are not at war!

they are flying in less than 50m vis. Suicide unless Lady Luck holds your hand.

SAS I prefer “Train Hard.....Fight Easy” However there has to be limits and common sense!

No one hurt, no property damaged, so why all the hurry to get on the Outrage Bus....how were any of you harmed by any of this?

The aircraft was clear of the roadway.... no wires close by....after all it wasn’t a Purple Flight or a Charter.

There are no excuses for flying like this along a public road. When you work in the Military, Police or HEMS you are supposed to add value. In my view this crew will be young and inexperienced. That’s proven by the **** decision they are making and the real hero’s, the boys in the back, are along for the ride whether they agree or otherwise.
I have made similar mistakes and also survived. However they are mistakes. My original post is aimed at recognising this incident for what it really is........a bad decision and poor airmanship. It’s a mistake to tar the SAS themselves with this as they are not at the controls.

Paco you are describing HEMS. There are minimum vis and cloud base rules in the SPA and they do not allow flight in thick fog.....so not only mistakes but blatant disregard for the rules. The number 1 priority in any medical emergency is to not become a casualty yourself. The SPA contains limits to stop the gung-ho from killing themselves and any other poor sap they take with the. IOM TT HEMS.......subject to same EASA rules as everyone else.

in the case of IOM TT a road response is a few minutes away. The rider knows and has accepted the risks. Your crew deserve better. They deserve and should expect you to make an effort to follow the rules.

NEXT!