Hawc Having Pilot Troubles?

[Phil Croucher]

Fair point, AC. That's about what happens in the UK, as well.

 

Phil

[simon]

simple solution to the "special constable" status of a pilot, enact regulation that does not permit the aircraft to land during a bust...period. Enact rules that stipulate the pilot is a pilot only.....no hero staus beyond that, maybe a medal for a perfect hover during an apprehension of a 7-11 slushie rapist. The helicopter is a survelience tool, it's there to watch.

 

How many times have we heard anything about a helicopter landing at a scene for anything? pretty rare if even existant. So why even bother. You're hired to fly, so fly.

 

 

It happen all the time Fenestron, in fact just yesterday

 

RCMP helicopter pilot spots stranded motorist

By Staff

Sunday, December 10, 2006, 12:01 AM

 

 

 

A stranded motorist is lucky to be alive today, thanks to an alert RCMP helicopter pilot.

The Interior air services’ Eurocopter AStarB3 helicopter, based in Kelowna, was on routine patrol in the Postill Lake area, east of the Kelowna airport, at 10 a.m. Friday when the pilot saw a man walking in the snow and waving his arms.

When the pilot landed, he discovered the man’s vehicle had slipped off Philpott Road on Wednesday, said RCMP

Const. L. Dean Childs. The man had attempted to walk out, but became lost and disoriented.

The RCMP pilot arranged a meeting place with B.C. Ambulance personnel, and the man, suffering from cold and hunger, was treated by paramedics.

No other information was available Saturday. The rural RCMP detachment, which is based in Westbank, could not be reached, and the helicopter crew was off-duty.

[Fenestron]

was he arresting him for something? was a crime being committed at that time????

 

different circumstances completely than what i was referring to.

[simon]

was he arresting him for something? was a crime being committed at that time????

 

different circumstances completely than what i was referring to.

 

Ok, Sorry. I thought this statment was pretty clear.

 

How many times have we heard anything about a helicopter landing at a scene for anything? pretty rare if even existant. So why even bother. You're hired to fly, so fly.

 

So what if it had not been a stranded motorist, it just looked like one. What if the person was a car thief or worse. The pilot of a "Police" helicopter should have some options to protect himself in the event of the unforseen, therefor the move to have police flying police helicopters.

[Helimac]

Ok, Sorry. I thought this statment was pretty clear.

 

How many times have we heard anything about a helicopter landing at a scene for anything? pretty rare if even existant. So why even bother. You're hired to fly, so fly.

 

So what if it had not been a stranded motorist, it just looked like one. What if the person was a car thief or worse. The pilot of a "Police" helicopter should have some options to protect himself in the event of the unforseen, therefor the move to have police flying police helicopters.

 

 

If he was a car thief or worse, why would he be waving his arms? Would anyone of us (commercial heli) have landed if we spotted him waving his arms?

 

Just asking, not saying.

 

HM

[Fenestron]

Simon, sorry, I should have been more clear. Scene = crime scene or take down point, I didn't mean it as going for coffee at timmies or rescuing wayward travellers. I hope that clears it up.

 

i think a man waving his arms out in the middle of nowwhere is a man in distress, a man waving his arms downtown vancouver or calgary, different story, especially if that hand is holding a gun....what would be the best? circle the scene, call in ground units....right?

there is no need for the helicopter to even get below 500ft. Its an observation platform, let the cameras do their work, and let the radio equipment assist those on the ground.

[cap]

Alberta Clipper -------- You would find the records of the RCMP in this regard to be very interesting reading then. You'd also find it interesting that they used their 205's for quite some number of years to transport prisoners and over supposedly F/W distances and with re-fuelling stops involved. That number of times exceeded 1% by quite a percentage also.

 

Many areas of Canada are not the mainland US nor are they comparable to central UK..........they are called "sparsely settled" areas of Canada. Comparing the needs and utilization of their in-house a/c would be an "eye-opener" to the former two when compared to the latter. In Canada you use what's available and not what the budget allots because Provincial Courts are widely separated and transportation resources vary greatly.

 

I have no "inner sanctum" knowledge whatsoever as to why the CPS prefer any particular background to their pilot hirees. They operate under the close scrutiny of the news media and their City "Fathers" and that may have a lot to do with their requirements for the position. In otherwards, they may almost want their aircrews to be "over-qualified" just to do nothing more than satisfy any "doubters" of the operation that may still exist........who knows?

[uuus2fly]

Simon, sorry, I should have been more clear. Scene = crime scene or take down point, I didn't mean it as going for coffee at timmies or rescuing wayward travellers. I hope that clears it up.

 

i think a man waving his arms out in the middle of nowwhere is a man in distress, a man waving his arms downtown vancouver or calgary, different story, especially if that hand is holding a gun....what would be the best? circle the scene, call in ground units....right?

there is no need for the helicopter to even get below 500ft. Its an observation platform, let the cameras do their work, and let the radio equipment assist those on the ground.

policing and pilotting share many common attributes,professionalism/ sound decission making/ good judgement/ ability to think while under stress/expecting the unexpected/sound trainig/ example:my experience and training as a pilot has given me the skills and decission making tools to operate a police vehicle at high speeds or in adverse weather, to an emergency call or after a fleeing suspect vehicle, knowing that operating the vehicle safely is paramount. similarily when landing at scenes, which air units often do, and finding out after the fact that there are armed bandits in the bush next to the helicopter,having the police training and tools to deal with that is also necessary. In both professions if you have a bad day people die.

[Fenestron]

armed bandits in the bush? in canada no less????? :shock: Let me go laugh my a$$ off now.

 

I guess the Flir operator missed them on his recon.....maybe they should scan the area more thouroughly before the boogy man jumps out and gets them. Use the tools that are available to you, thats why they are there.

 

the only tools and training needed IMO, are to keep the helicopter up in the air watching the scene and being the eyes for the guys on the ground. Isn't that what all the police forces say when they are pushing for budget money to get a helicopter?

[simon]

Fenestro, you said"i think a man waving his arms out in the middle of nowwhere is a man in distress"

 

Which is quite right but as happens all the time and happened last week end. That person might just be a bad guy too. Ploice pilots need force options.

 

The Canadian Press

Published: Wednesday, December 06, 2006

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - A B.C. man who got lost in northern Washington state was first rescued and then arrested on a drug charge.

 

The Whatcom County sheriff's office says 34-year-old Matthew Fairleigh of Langley went on a hike last Wednesday without camping equipment or food.

 

He had a GPS device but it failed and he became disoriented in a whiteout.

 

Fairleigh was rescued Sunday by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter after his message of "HELP" was seen in the snow near Church Mountain, northeast of Glacier.

 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lori Dankers says marijuana was found in a backpack and Fairleigh was jailed in Bellingham on Monday after being released from a hospital.

 

He is charged with possessing a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

 

© The Calgary Herald 2006