24-08-2013, 12:19 PM
1
Super Puma Crash
Yet another Super Puma helicopter has crashed and this time four people have lost their lives, one of which the wife and I knew personally.When is something going to be done to prevent accidents like this? I know there will always be risks but it seems like every week one of those machines suffers a malfunction.
This is 2013 where cars could literally drive themselves, so why can't we design a helicopter that won't crash??
25-08-2013, 06:48 PM
4
Re: Super Puma Crash
Originally Posted by oldbugger
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Indeed it is Joy, but it needn't be if they would engineer a better helicopter. Think of those rescue helicopters that fly in the same conditions all the time - you never hear of those crashing, so why do the off-shore helicopters keep failing??
Some years ago Bristow Helicopters used the old Westland Wessex Helicopters (the same ones used by the Royal Navy and RAF rescue helicopters) but they were expensive to run and maintain, therefore these 'new' ones are lighter but not so robust as the Westland Wessex.
26-08-2013, 09:28 AM
5
Re: Super Puma Crash
Originally Posted by Uncle Joe
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Some years ago Bristow Helicopters used the old Westland Wessex Helicopters (the same ones used by the Royal Navy and RAF rescue helicopters) but they were expensive to run and maintain, therefore these 'new' ones are lighter but not so robust as the Westland Wessex.
Sorry about your friend Jim!
Uj is right, these huge profit making concerns penny pinching instead of safety first, they make enough from off shore oil for them to have a fleet of reliable helicopters.
My guess is they put the job out to tender, that really leads to a bad deal for the people on the rigs.
UJ I used to work next door to Westlands on Oldmixon road W.S.Mare.
27-08-2013, 02:51 AM
7
Re: Super Puma Crash
I am very sorry to hear about this but, many years ago I worked for Heliwork who were/are based at Thruxton in Hampshire. Various types of helicopters were brought in for maintenance and compass checks which was obviously very expensive but, if you could afford a chopper, then you could afford to pay for the maintenance.If this isn't carried out, then accidents must be down to pilot error if maintenance isn't kept up. It's very sad, but it does happen unfortunately.
27-08-2013, 09:33 AM
8
Re: Super Puma Crash
Mollie darlin' no doubt the Safety Inspectors will examine the 'black box' and all the maintenance schedules etc, etc, but this particular make of Helicopter seems to have a problem with the linkage between the main rotor and the tail rotor. Shortly after the RAF Air-Sea rescue replaced the large Westland Helicoptors with these smaller ones - they also experienced mechanical problems with them and they were 'grounded' for several months - these were supposedly 'brand new' helicoptors.07-11-2013, 12:25 AM
9
Re: Super Puma Crash
These things have been given a clean bill of heath but we will not use them.Bristow's are now using S 92's. and 30 year old tigers ..while the Puma's are just laid about.
We were given pep talks by Puma drivers .. but they can talk all they want ..
Not getting in one again.
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