AW.139 276 on the move.

[SousaTeuszii]

And before somebody says 'If civil operators dont need it then why do the Air Corps' it can be explained very easily:

a. Civil operators are primarily concerned with making money, not safety. Yes safety is an important aspect but why pay for the small things like a helmet when a headset will suffice? Why pay for non mandatory survival equipment at all?

b. Civil operators wish to protray a sense of safety and security. What would you think if the pilot was dressed for the worst with a helmet, LPU or safety equipment? Would you feel that maybe this isnt the safest place to be?

The fact is that safety should be paramount but in the civil world comfort and image are more important. Consider why airliner seats face forward even though they are safer in a crash facing rearward.

Considering the possible tasks faced by the Air Corps safety in all aspects should be paramount, no excuses.

[Pink Panther]

Surely when the NVG training starts for the front crew, the NVG units will have to be attached to a helmet. By the way, I know of one corporate heli pilot in Ireland that wore a helmet due to a near death experience with a bird coming through the wind shield. Knowing poeple who have worn  helmets for most of their flying career, they would feel very exposed without one.

[clog]

Hi lads, interesting discusions going on here, strangely myself and Guinness had the same conversation with many people on the Volkel airshow last weekend.  (We where doing our bit to promote the Air Corps with our little sales stand.)

Many poeple called up and started asking these kind of questions:

        Is it true that any A/C pilot can take a cessna for a spin if he/she has nothing better to do?

       Is it true that the IAC only fly from 9-5, and not on Monday, Friday and the weekends?

       Is it true more liters of beer are consumed by pilots and and other A/C members than liters of Jet fuel by the aircraft of a weekly basis?

Many more of this kind of questions where asked, the point im making is we Irish aren't known for our active and serious livestyles, we like to have a laugh (and rightly so!!!). But in the eye's of people outside Ireland the A/C is taking this a bit to far and thus we (the IAC) aren't taken serious. That bothers me.

regards.

[P.Doff]

Not to get too much off topic but Ive noticed over the years that the majority of British people actually think that we are part of the RAF!! I dont know how many times Ive had to explain over again that we are a seperate country!! "Yeh OK, so how long have yeh been in the RAF"