news A great week that could have ended so tragically

[Lord Burley]

Me and the family had a great week at Beltring. But it could have ended so badly. Whilst packing away last night. The pilot of the Bell who made a un-announced landing on wednesday decided to take off. He aborted a first attempt,as it was quite clear that there was insufficiant power to gain lift. What followed next was unbelievable,and how know one was decapitaited a miracle.

 

He attemted a second dust off seconds after the aborted first. He managed to get enough lift to hop the Rolling Thunder entrance. Power was falling and he turned the craft 90 degrees and flew the lenth of road from the Rolling Thunder entrance to the lights at the entrance to Americas with the skids barely 2ft off the ground. My niece,brother and reinactors dived for cover as he tried to get airborne. How he never hit anyone was a miracle. I can honestly say i was waiting for it to come down in to everyone. That was the most stupid and most dangerous act i have ever seen at an event. The Police and officials were quickly on the scene. And it was quite evident that if he came back he would have been lynched.Hopefully the matter will soon be in the hands of the CAA and he will loose his licence. What a pratt.

Edited July 26, 2010 by Lord Burley

[gazzaw]

Was he drunk in charge of a chopper? Sounds a real t@$$er

[LoggyDriver]

I have seen this Helicopter at a few shows this year. I've been told he keeps it at RAF Weston-On-The-Green.

 

So who gave permission for him to land where he did? I thought it was amazing that he would be allowed to land where he did. There is hardly any room where he landed. A petrol engined chopper (indeed any helicopter) should be landed in an open field and then fitted with those skid mounted wheels to move it into position.

 

I saw it take off but was unaware of the problem until reading this. The Police also need to investigate the owner of the Hop Farm as the land owner, as he must be the one who gave permission for it to be landed where it did in the first place???

[private mw]

we saw this and wondered how it got there .:shocked:

[Big Al]

I total agree with what been said above I do know the mangment were very unhappy with him landing there, the day he landed there were 1000 school kids on site that day, we did hear that on taken off he did hit a car, we dont need this type of person involed with our hobby who puts lives at risk.

Al

[gritineye]

Saw nothing myself but friends who saw it arrive, (apparently un-announced) told me, he landed in Americas field area and was going to be trailered into position, he then took off again and landed in the display. They where amazed at his flying skills as it was all so close around him.

[mike65]

By the sounds of it the bloke did not have authorisation to land.

While you can technically land a helicopter anywhere you do need the land owners permission and safety is of paramount importance.

If he did actually hit a car the CAA form/report is going to make some interesting reading.

Mind you that is assuming it is reported and he has a license. insurance etc.

 

Next somebody will tell us he drives around in a pimped out Saxo, when not trying to fly.

 

Mike

[Lord Burley]

As far as i'm aware the officials had no knowledge of him arriving in the way he did. And that was apparent when he landed. I was there the moment he came in. And none were to happy at what he had done. As has been said before. The plan seemed to be the trailer the helicopter in. But he decided to fly in.

 

I must say the officials done a great job in calming down a very angry crowd after the incident and liased quickly with local police. There is video circulating somewhere of the whole incident. As i said before. This could have had very tragic consequences.

[LoggyDriver]

My other half said she was not impressed by his pilot skills at the Bill Target Steam Rally. He seemed to struggle taking off and I put this down to the fact that it's a piston engined helipopter.

[Maverick]

Hi Guys

 

Here's some information that is correct as I'm a member of Rolling Thunder.

 

1 We put the pilot and Hop farm in contact with each other, that is as far as our involvement goes so I don't want to hear Rolling Thunder being blamed for any of this

 

2 All health and safety, license, permission etc etc was all arranged between them.

 

3 Hop farm and organisers knew about its arrival etc but don't know if all marshals were told?

 

While I agree it could of turned nasty and I don't know the ins and out of helicopters, distances, landing and taking off etc and I'm not say he was right or wrong but once the guy is Airborne he tried his best at keeping it in the Air considering he suffered loss of power twice.

[Degsy]

Any person or organisation that has any involvement in an incident of this sort must take their share of the blame and attempting to pass the buck in this way brings no credit at all and by association brings the whole movement into disrepute.

[Marmite!!]

If Rolling Thunder knew that the helicopter was coming in why did they not make sure that the marshals were on hand to make sure the landing was safe? He could of landed in the helicpoter field & then trailered to the plot, then the same for the take off..

 

LB.. did you make a complaint to the CAA?

[Maverick]

Any person or organisation that has any involvement in an incident of this sort must take their share of the blame and attempting to pass the buck in this way brings no credit at all and by association brings the whole movement into disrepute.

 

We weren't involved in the incident, the pilot was, we don't need to share the blame as it has nothing to do with us. I could blame you for the maroons going off at night cos you were in the same field as those who set it off. That's the only relationship we had with the pilot, we shared the same bit of field. I know nothing about helicopters so where do I have the power to tell the organiser and the pilot what they can and cant do. Can you fly a Helicopter, are you qualified to disscuss rules and reg reagarding the CAA ???

 

Lee. I'm surprised at you, your quick enough to correct other people. Re-read my post below

 

We put the pilot and Hop farm in contact with each other, that is as far as our involvement goes so I don't want to hear Rolling Thunder being blamed for any of this

 

2 All health and safety, license, permission etc etc was all arranged between them.

 

3 Hop farm and organisers knew about its arrival etc but don't know if all marshals were told?

 

 

The whole thing was arranged between the pilot and hop farm, we just reserved the space. Please get you facts right.

[Lord Burley]

If Rolling Thunder knew that the helicopter was coming in why did they not make sure that the marshals were on hand to make sure the landing was safe? He could of landed in the helicpoter field & then trailered to the plot, then the same for the take off..

 

LB.. did you make a complaint to the CAA?

I think only a minority within RT knew what exactly was going on. Roger didnt. He made that clear when the officials questioned him. I didnt make a complaint. My brother did.

[Degsy]

We weren't involved in the incident, the pilot was, we don't need to share the blame as it has nothing to do with us. I could blame you for the maroons going off at night cos you were in the same field as those who set it off. That's the only relationship we had with the pilot, we shared the same bit of field. I know nothing about helicopters so where do I have the power to tell the organiser and the pilot what they can and cant do. Can you fly a Helicopter, are you qualified to disscuss rules and reg reagarding the CAA ???

 

Lee. I'm surprised at you, your quick enough to correct other people. Re-read my post below

 

We put the pilot and Hop farm in contact with each other, that is as far as our involvement goes so I don't want to hear Rolling Thunder being blamed for any of this

 

2 All health and safety, license, permission etc etc was all arranged between them.

 

3 Hop farm and organisers knew about its arrival etc but don't know if all marshals were told?

 

 

The whole thing was arranged between the pilot and hop farm, we just reserved the space. Please get you facts right.

 

You could try to blame me for maroons but since I wasn't there you would be on sticky ground:pfrt:

As for no involvement you are hung with your own petard, you admit to starting the whole thing off by putting the pilot in touch with the Hop Farm etc . Whether or not I can fly a helicopter is irrelevant and is a very poor attempt to create a smokescreen.

[FW200]

Video on youtube (not mine):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DKMMBjrUos

[gritineye]

Yep, that's bad flying allright, myself I can't see how any one is to blame except the pilot ...not a lawyer though.

[Maverick]

You could try to blame me for maroons but since I wasn't there you would be on sticky ground:pfrt:

As for no involvement you are hung with your own petard, you admit to starting the whole thing off by putting the pilot in touch with the Hop Farm etc . Whether or not I can fly a helicopter is irrelevant and is a very poor attempt to create a smokescreen.

 

So on your basis If I ever introduce a MV owner to another MV owner I then become responsible for their actions for the rest of mine and there lives. How laughable

[Keito]

I was there on the N44 display when this chopper came crashing to the ground by our squad tent, it then managed to just about take off and clear the trees in to the Americas field.

Our tent had people in it that got blown to hell and back with rotors feet from the tent, there was a car involved however it was not hit, it did however have two kids in it who refused to come out after the event as they were so traumatised.

I am making a complaint to the CAA, I have pictures and video of this complete act of stupidity, the other helicopter operator was near our display and saw the whole thing, he could not believe his eyes and is also reporting him.

 

As for rolling thunder I do not believe it was their fault in this matter, it was solely down to the pilots decision to attempt a take off in a crowded field.

Read the CAA regs regarding flying in to or out of a crowded field despite whatever permissions are given by the landowner.

 

Lets get the facts right here guys before a slanging match ensues.

 

It is a CAA matter not a police matter as I discussed with the senior police officer in attendabce.

 

Keith

[Degsy]

So on your basis If I ever introduce a MV owner to another MV owner I then become responsible for their actions for the rest of mine and there lives. How laughable

 

Since you are trying to defend the indefensible you can't stick to the incident in question.

Would you still find it laughable if the very near miss had become the disaster that was just waiting to happen?

[torc]

This guy should have been complained about when he touched down first day. I saw him arrive and I could not believe my eyes when I realised where he was going to land. I stepped back behind a vehicle because I seriously believed he was going to collide with something.

I thought you needed at least 100 meter clearance around you to land. This was definitely the scariest aviation incident I have witnessed in a long time.

As far as the take off is concerned it seems to me he was too underpowered/overweight to have attempted it and all souls around were lucky to have escaped.

[sabre]

I saw the take off...:shocked:

 

THAT GUY MUST BE BANNED OUT OF FLYING AND HELICOPTERS.

 

If it is true that even the landing raised questions, the organisers are facing a huge responsability here. That take off had to be organised after the whole field was emtied.

[lightweight]

Since you are trying to defend the indefensible you can't stick to the incident in question.

Would you still find it laughable if the very near miss had become the disaster that was just waiting to happen?

 

I wouldn't normally get involved in one of these debates, but it seems to me that pointing that finger of yours at the RT group, without being sure of the legalities of the situation is rather irresponsible.

 

I also think that just sitting on a high horse to defend your unsubstantiated claims is a poor way of justifying them.

 

I would suggest that we all keep our opinions to ourselves until the incident has been investigated by the relevant authorities.

[Adrian Barrell]

Many helicopters, particularly older desigs such as this Hiller H-23 are not overendowed with power and on a hot day cannot lift off to any great height vertically. Indeed it is not a good idea to in case of engine failure, forward movement near to the ground gives translational lift and this gives a safety margin.

 

However, to attempt it in a crowd shows poor (!) airmanship. If the facts are as presented here, I'm sure we will hear more of this.....

[griff66]

just watched the vid of this, having started my working life working for bristow helicopters ,that guy should loose his licence when i saw this helicopter parked i presumed it had been towed there ! he should have a area in case he had a aborted take off i guess in his tiny mind that was on top of all the tents!