A really big lunch

[CYHeli]

CYHeli - not very professional of you to not know the location of the intake to the airbox? How do you expect to get paid the award when you don't know such basic details of your machine?

RealityCheck

I know that you can reach it from where you sit!
I was surprised that a small plastic bag could've had such a dramatic effect.
I have not passed judgement on the pilot, his actions or consequences. As SP has said about casting stones. I know that I have made enough blunders for one life time.

My comments were simply about the effect of the bag on the hole and whether or not the press were beating the story up.

[Robinsondog]

Reality,

I've done a bit of mustering and know enough about it, and read a lot more about some of those pilots up there and i think I do know that anyone who is not skilled or tutored into getting past the pressure thingo is a danger. Same for any profession.

Sure I am sorry that this pilot is in quite a painful position for quite a while, that does not exclude or cover the fact that he allowed himself to get caught with an extremely stupid mistake.

By acounts relayed in the ABC news sites he has seen the error he made and intends to be more careful next time. Why don't his mates ask him to become a bit of an ambassador and write an open letter to all helicopter pilots via the Flight Safety Digest. That might help instructors and others drive home the point that loose articles are taboo at any time when the doors are off and every other time in a Rotary wing.

I guess also the A/C owner will also be in a painful position, going throught numerous self doubting sessions down loading on himself as to why he didn't brief the pilot properly, or supervise him just that bit more and so on. He will be losing a lot of money with a machine crashed, pilot U/S and the prospect of much steeper Insurance rates for his helicopters and workmans Compensation as a consequence.

No need to download on me or CY, just face up to it and take it on the chin instead of remonstrating in childish fashion against what is bleedingly honest and can be corrected.
RD

[black duck]

Unfortunately, the essential point has been pushed to the back ground. Intentionally or unintentionally, right or wrong, loose articles in or around helicopters are a disaster waiting to happen. It's a timely reminder to us all.

[Trailing edge]

H E A R H E A R Black Duck

TE

[mja]

Love Bladeslapper, however, the name calling and personal attacks are childish, sorry people, this is a forum of opinion, advice and thoughts, not name calling.........no matter the personal belief or offence..............

[Pegs]

Love Bladeslapper, however, the name calling and personal attacks are childish, sorry people, this is a forum of opinion, advice and thoughts, not name calling.........no matter the personal belief or offence..............

Agreed! Whatever we may personally feel, there is no need to resort to this kind of behaviour, we all feel for a fellow aviator who was injured, and hopefully we can all be vigilant next time we fly.
Keep it safe Ladies and Gentlemen.

[AgRattler]

Im sure we have all been guilty of little mistakes like this in our time. Most of the time we get away with it BUT this shows just how easy things can go wrong!
I had the same thing happen the other day , lunch wraper came out of bag in back seat and had the door off. Manage to catch it but could have easily shot out the door and grabed that back spinner thingy.

I for one have learnt from these things and do not sling S&%T because you never know when you will be the one on here getting rubbished......

Rant over now looking forward to All Black's cleaning up the Oztrailians....

[Ferret]

GO THE ALL BLACKS!!!

[Robinsondog]

Here is the story with the photographs, of a side issue note the large amount of crumple in the belly pan and the pilot still has feeling in his legs, unbelievable.

http://www.abc.net.au/rural/content/2010/s2960939.htm

Think I saw a newspaper article somewhere recently where a similar helicopter had hit fairly hard with a fairly big amount of gear in the underseat compartments. there was little crumpling of the belly pan and the two POB both succumbed to vertical injuries, just goes to show, keep those storage lockers empty. I have no idea of the vertical speed of the other though.

Yes the all blacks went very well, except that where we were we weren't allowed to see it, only a couple of clips later.
RD

[CYHeli]

I think this sums it up well, from Ben himself,

"It's just a bit of a reminder I suppose not to let complacency creep into my flying - things like leaving rubbish on the floor of the helicopter not tied down or held down, that type of thing."

[CYHeli]

Pegs you has asked about a photo of the bag, this is from the link above.

[Tony Carmody]

Have seen similar R22 prangs before:

2 X the intake hose coming off where they attach to the outside inlet fitting (ie inside where the plastic bag is in the previous post) - caused by hoseclip not tightened at 100 Hrlys. One ended up in the drink down Sydney way.

1 X pilot winter 3/4 coat doing same deal as above plastic bag after he undid coat zip or buttons just first refuelling stop at about 0830 when day warming up and getting busy with mooies.

You can never be too careful!

Tc

[Pegs]

thanks Col,
Gee that is some sandwich bag
note what TC is saying, that is along the lines of the discussion we where having the other day on this topic (item N: 1.) In my case, they left the clamp off all together.