Dassault heir dies in helicopter carsh - Normandy

[WBI Flyer]

man. of all the folks. sad for the loved ones of the lost.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlie...-in-private-helicopter-crash/?sh=80692aa78b5b

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Wow, I remember when his father died, just a few years ago, at a very ripe old age (I worked on proposals to his company). I don't know how transparent France's investigations are; we'll find out.

 

[Bell206]

I don't know how transparent France's investigations are; we'll find out.

Per several French news feeds, a blade hit a tree on takeoff.

 

[sourdough44]

Per several French news feeds, a blade hit a tree on takeoff.

If true, seems there were lapses in judgement for the operation? Maybe the site wasn’t suitable for use? Maybe the wx/winds weren’t favorable for what the pilot was attempting?

No I didn’t read any details, keeping your blades out of the trees should be near priority one.

 

[Bell206]

seems there were lapses in judgement for the operation?

Dassault was an accomplished pilot in his own right however always flew with a professional pilot in the aircraft. And they had made this run on a regular basis per the reports.

Maybe the site wasn’t suitable for use? Maybe the wx/winds weren’t favorable for what the pilot was attempting?

The latest report implies the normal helipad area was flooded and that the area they parked in required a non-standard departure path toward the trees. There was also some discussion that it was approaching dusk and there was a bright sun on the horizon if I got the translation right.

 

[exncsurfer]

Dassault was an accomplished pilot in his own right however always flew with a professional pilot in the aircraft. And they had made this run on a regular basis per the reports.

The latest report implies the normal helipad area was flooded and that the area they parked in required a non-standard departure path toward the trees. There was also some discussion that it was approaching dusk and there was a bright sun on the horizon if I got the translation right.

I'm not a helicopter pilot, but can't their departure path be..... up?

 

[Bell206]

but can't their departure path be..... up?

Sure. And they could have been in a hover when they hit the tree. Don't know. But for reference most times helicopters will take off with forward speed to get into transitional lift.

 

[Tarheelpilot]

I'm not a helicopter pilot, but can't their departure path be..... up?

Sometimes

 

[weilke]

Death by private helicopter is one of the occupational risks of being a retired billionaire. Kobe*, Chris Cline, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.








* 0.6 billion, I know, this is just for illustration.

 

[GaryM]

A bunch of years ago, I remember reading an interview in Outside magazine with a famous mountaineer. I wish I could recall now who it was, but one of the elite, who made his name doing first ascents on some of the world's most remote peaks. He was asked something to the effect of: "What is the greatest danger you face on an expedition? Falls? Avalanche? Icefall? Hypoxia? Freezing to death?" The climber replied: "Russian helicopters", referring to a common means of getting to the base of some of those remote peaks.

 

[Kenny Phillips]

Per several French news feeds, a blade hit a tree on takeoff.

So the pilot flew into a tree. Yay.

 

[Bell206]

So the pilot flew into a tree. Yay.

Or backed into one. Still no word on if M/R or T/R blade. However, there is one news report they were ejected from the aircraft during the accident sequence which would point to a M/R strike.