The Anonymous Widower

Helicopters

As a trained pilot, I’ve never liked helicopters and for fifty years, I’ve avoided going in the beasts, which have been variously described as.

Four thousand moving parts flying in a unique formation.

Often by pilots, who know a lot better.

So although only two or three seemed to have died in the latest helicopter crash at Vauxhall, this is two or three too many to add to the list of those who’ve died in similar circumstances.

There is a great exhilaration to fly at a low level and I’ve done it several times at under a thousand feet over a city. But only in a twin-engined aircraft, with myself at the controls. The best was probably to fly up Lido in Venice to land at the San Nicolo airport. I did once use the light-aircraft corridor over Heathrow, that probably doesn’t exist now. Exhilarating stuff, but sadly they are only memories in my brain, as I didn’t have a camera with me.

In some ways, I feel this thrill is one of the reasons we still get large numbers of people wanting to be flown over our cities.  Businessmen and politicians will quote the time saved in getting in and out of Central London, but is any death worth it?

We still don’t know what caused the problem, but the building hit at Vauxhall will be nearly 600 feet tall. I also question, why a building that high is being built close to the Battersea Heliport.

Flying in a helicopter is a risky business and you need to minimise what risks you can, rather than add to them!

There is a professional view of flying in the area here in the Standard. It’s also being reported that the Metropolitan Police helicopter was not flying because of the weather.

One of my ambitions amongst many is to live long enough to see the end of the these scientifically-incorrect machines. Hopefully, their jobs will be replaced by something a lot less dangerous and more civilised and environmentally friendly.

January 16, 2013 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Accident, Flying, Helicopter, London