Power lines can be virtually invisible from the air. The trick to avoiding them is, paradoxically, not to try to find them. Instead, the pilot should look for the towers from which they are strung. Once the pilot has the towers in sight, he should choose one and fly directly over it, rather than between them. 
Helicopters
Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Crash: Photo Tells the (Same Old) Story?
The NTSB blamed the pilot for the last Blue Hawaiian helicopter crash into the side of a mountain. The NTSB concluded that while flying near bad weather, the pilot inadvertently entered clouds, became disoriented, and lost control of the helicopter. According to the NTSB, the probable cause of the accident was:
The pilot’s inadequate decision by which he
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Robinson R66 Helicopter Fleet Suffers Second Fatal Crash
Philip, South Dakota is the site of the second fatal Robinson R66 crash. This time, only the pilot was on board the helicopter. The first fatal R66 crash, which happened in July, killed two.
How does the R66 safety record stack up so far?
Since there are only 41 R66’s on the US registry, the record stacks…
When A Helicopter Hits An Offshore Oil Platform And Then Crashes Into The Ocean
A helicopter carrying workers to an oil rig attempts to land on the rig’s platform. The helicopter hits something on the rig, spins out of control, and crashes into the sea. All the helicopter’s occupants are killed.
Sadly, with more than 5000 oil rigs operating off the US shores, oil rig-related helicopter crashes are…
Government Contractor Defense Protects Helicopter Manufacturer
The Chinook helicopter was flying in Afghanistan. Without warning, one of the helicopter’s two engines flamed out. The helicopter crashed. Eight service personnel were killed and fourteen were severely injured.
The victims and their families sued the helicopter’s various manufacturers, including Boeing, Honeywell and Goodrich. They claimed that the helicopter’s engine quit because of a defect in…
Helicopter Rules Differ from Airplane Rules
After a helicopter accident, many airplane pilots are quick to conclude that the helicopter pilot violated one aviation regulation or another. But the laws that airplane pilots know so well do not always apply to helicopters. Rather, helicopters operate largely under their own set of rules. Some of the differences between the rules applicable to airplanes and helicopters are:
Minimum Altitudes…
Is the Robinson R66 Helicopter Safer than the R44?
Some pilots refuse to fly piston-powered helicopters, insisting instead on turbine-powered machines. Turbine engines, their argument goes, are much less likely to fail in flight than piston engines. Though more expensive to purchase and to operate, the reliability of turbine-powered helicopters makes them safer than their piston-powered counterparts.
Does that mean the new Robinson R66, with its Rolls-Royce turbine engine, will…
The EMS Helicopter Industry’s Business Model Leads to Unnecessary Crashes
Emergency Medical Services helicopters don’t get paid for being on call. They earn money only when transporting patients. But, when they do transport a patient, they are paid well — up to $20,000 per trip.
The business model has worked out well for the industry. In fact, the number of EMS helicopters in service has quadrupled since…
Robinson R44 Design Defect Leads to Post-Crash Fires
Robinson Helicopter Company has long touted the crashworthiness of its helicopters. An excerpt from Robinson Safety Notice SN-10, which dates back to 1982:
The R22 and R44 have demonstrated excellent crashworthiness as long as the pilot flies the aircraft all the way to the ground . . .The ship may roll over and be severely
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When the Defective Part is Made of Paper: Aircraft Manuals and GARA
A passenger injured in an aircraft accident can’t sue the aircraft manufacturer if the part that caused the crash is older than 18 years. Any such suit would be barred by the General Aviation Revitalization Act, or GARA.
What if the accident was caused by a mistake in one of the aircraft’s manuals rather than a…