TC - you may as well bash your head on a brick wall as expect to get any sense out of Q's supporters.

When this incident happened many people brought up the thorny question of how this trip could be done without being grossly over MAUW. The defence was always "wait until we know the facts before you criticise somebody as experienced as Q".

Well we probably will never know the facts as the two perps have decided it may not be wise to be too forthcoming, but we know enough to be able to do the maths.

If they still think these guys are heroes, then I dont think any amount of effort is going to straighten them out.


:hmm:

One of the most worrying aspects of "famous/infamous" risk-taking pilots is the effect they have on those they teach to fly. Students emulate their instructors - your first instructor is one of the biggest influences on the way you fly and think about flying.

It would be interesting to know how the accident rate of different instructors varies ...................

I must admit to being one of those who would critisise the crazy antics of those who risk there lives trying to get somewhere "because it is there".

However, aviation history is littered with names of those who risk their lives to advance the frontiers of flying. Many of them died doing it, most of them are reverred as heros. I'm not jumping up to say that these 2 are heros, but they are only doing what people have been doing in aviation for years. THe only difference is that now more people are aviating, someone has decided that regulations are required to protect pilots from each other (or what ever it is the ANO sets out to do). Armed with a rule book we are all too quick to slag adventurers/rule benders/rule breakers off. However, who should question the decision of those to go out there and and bend the rules. If it their lives and money....... And who knows if they suceed and tell the story, maybe we will all be better off having learned from their experiences.

My previous speil was trying to make the point that the AAIB should not be viewed as judge and jury, just a forum from which we can all learn. At times there is negligance involved that should be treated by prosecutions. But in this case I am sure the two concerned flew into a situation that they were well aware of the risks and hazards.

It seems to be suggested by various threads on this forum that the aircraft was overloaded. We do not know that. What we do know is that these two survived an emergency because they were well prepared. But how many private pilots take their friends out for a weekend in a helicopter, load it with people, fuel and bags and take off knowing that "she's a bit heavy, but we'll be ok." I would be prepared to bet that it happens every week. Most get away with it. But I doubt a low time/non current pilot flying across the Channel and presented with the same emergency as Q experienced would have had the same happy ending.