Olivier Dassault (Dassault Aviation) killed in heli-crash

[FourWheelDrift]

"Dassault Aviation heir and politician Olivier Dassault has been killed in a helicopter crash. The pilot of the helicopter was also killed and no one else was on board."

https://twitter.com/i/events/1368642744726421504

[glazbagun]

Just came here to post just that. On takeoff apparently.

I'm sure he's flown many miles in helicopters, but with Kobe Bryant, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and now Dassault dying in only a few years, it's starting to look a hazardous way to travel if you're a multimillionaire.

[Krikkit]

It does seem to be a bit hazardous doesn't it?

Shame as ever that anyone should perish in an accident like this, be interesting to hear the cause.

[Neptune188]

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

[Flumpo]

Neptune188 said:

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

That reads a bit like the argument, guns don’t kill people, people do. Guns don’t pose a risk.

Maybe it’s an incorrect misconception, but helicopters seem more risky vs getting a chauffeur driven s class, even if it’s human error.

[fiatpower]

Flumpo said:

Maybe it’s an incorrect misconception, but helicopters seem more risky vs getting a chauffeur driven s class, even if it’s human error.

It’s just the fact that a crash in a car doesn’t necessarily end in fatality whereas a crash in a helicopter is almost certainly fatal.

[Petrus1983]

Neptune188 said:

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

Helicopters seem to fly thousands of successful flights daily - air ambulance, off shore rigs, electricity companies, celebrities, horse racing, Goodwood etc etc - it’s hard not to notice the pilot influences in the accidents when it does go wrong. And as suggested above, when it goes a little wrong it’s often game over.

[Stick Legs]

Helicopter:/ˈhɛlɪkɒptə/

2000 parts moving at 100 rpm around an oil leak waiting for metal fatigue to set in.


My own take on these is that they are by definition a 'complex' aircraft.
Business' and Military can run them because they can absorb the amount of money required to operate them safely (and often fail).
Private individuals probably shouldn't.

Having said that...

The number of helicopter flights a year vs number of accidents is tolerable, but any aviation death is sad.

[dangerousB]

Neptune188 said:

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

My girlfriend's managed to stay alive despite spending the last 12 years of her life flying with rotors above her.

Furthermore, she actually looks forward to going to work.

Quite amazing really.

[Newc]

I met Mr Dassault once at a social event. He was exactly what you would hope a billionaire French industrialist playboy would be like. You could have put him in a Bond movie as the helpful guy, and he wouldn't have needed to act or wear anything other than his own clothes.

By all accounts he was extremely smart too, he wasn't running the firm solely because of his parentage.

[Tony1963]

Stick Legs said:

Helicopter:/?h?l?k?pt?/

2000 parts moving at 100 rpm around an oil leak waiting for metal fatigue to set in.

Miles off.

[normalbloke]

Stick Legs said:

Helicopter:/?h?l?k?pt?/

2000 parts moving at 100 rpm around an oil leak waiting for metal fatigue to set in.


My own take on these is that they are by definition a 'complex' aircraft.
Business' and Military can run them because they can absorb the amount of money required to operate them safely (and often fail).
Private individuals probably shouldn't.

Having said that...

The number of helicopter flights a year vs number of accidents is tolerable, but any aviation death is sad.

Also miles off

[Stick Legs]

Tony1963 said:

Stick Legs said:

Helicopter:/?h?l?k?pt?/

2000 parts moving at 100 rpm around an oil leak waiting for metal fatigue to set in.

Miles off.

Apologies for repeating a joke told to me by an Ex-FAA Sea King pilot.
Tough crowd.

[colin_p]

Flumpo said:

Neptune188 said:

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

That reads a bit like the argument, guns don’t kill people, people do. Guns don’t pose a risk.

Maybe it’s an incorrect misconception, but helicopters seem more risky vs getting a chauffeur driven s class, even if it’s human error.

The rich, the famous, the rich and famous, whether self flown or by someone else + helicopter = Certain Death, eventually. It is like a horror / disaster film cliche always waiting to happen.

It doesn't matter if it is pilot error or a mechanical failure if you get killed in a helicopter crash, you are still dead.

[aeropilot]

Flumpo said:

Neptune188 said:

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

That reads a bit like the argument, guns don’t kill people, people do. Guns don’t pose a risk.

Maybe it’s an incorrect misconception, but helicopters seem more risky vs getting a chauffeur driven s class, even if it’s human error.

Maybe something other than a chauffeur driven S Class would have been a better analogy given the rather famous person that died in a badly driven chauffeured S Class.....

[NDT]

aeropilot said:

Flumpo said:

Neptune188 said:

Kobe Bryant - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather)
Lord Ballyedmond - Pilot Error (His heli had a revolving door for crew)
Vichi - Mechanic Error
Vauxhall Heli Crash - Pilot Error (flew into bad weather, hit crane)

The helis are fine.

That reads a bit like the argument, guns don’t kill people, people do. Guns don’t pose a risk.

Maybe it’s an incorrect misconception, but helicopters seem more risky vs getting a chauffeur driven s class, even if it’s human error.

Maybe something other than a chauffeur driven S Class would have been a better analogy given the rather famous person that died in a badly driven chauffeured S Class.....

In a badly chauffeured S-class a seatbelt might have saved them... in a badly flown helicopter I doubt it would make a difference!

[dontlookdown]

Stick Legs said:

Tony1963 said:

Stick Legs said:

Helicopter:/?h?l?k?pt?/

2000 parts moving at 100 rpm around an oil leak waiting for metal fatigue to set in.

Miles off.

Apologies for repeating a joke told to me by an Ex-FAA Sea King pilot.
Tough crowd.

Well, accurate or otherwise, I enjoyed it.

Like the old Shackleton pilot's gag '20,000 rivets flying loose formation'

[Penguinracer]

I'm not alleging anything as to the probably cause of this sad accident...but complacency is the enemy of aviation safety & complacency can set-in with experience. It's using that experience to identify when you're becoming complacent which is important.

[Stick Legs]

dontlookdown said:

Stick Legs said:

Tony1963 said:

Stick Legs said:

Helicopter:/?h?l?k?pt?/

2000 parts moving at 100 rpm around an oil leak waiting for metal fatigue to set in.

Miles off.

Apologies for repeating a joke told to me by an Ex-FAA Sea King pilot.
Tough crowd.

Well, accurate or otherwise, I enjoyed it.

Like the old Shackleton pilot's gag '20,000 rivets flying loose formation'