Dog Whisperer

[Helilog56]

Thanks 407 Driver and 3BX2 for making some intelligent and informed comments on this topic.

Helilog,not sure how to respond to you other than "DUH" !

 

I was happy too respond in a manner that your question deserved....!!!!!!

[twinstar_ca]

thanks, kelsey, for the actuals... :up:

[407driver]

I'm going to jump in here before this really goes sideways. There are some good points being brought up for discussion, however some of the info being touted as a "fact" are not true facts at all.

I was the one flying for this rescue and am willing to set a few things straight as well as discuss other options, practices etc. as long as it is kept in a productive manner.

 

The first incorrect "fact" stated was that the dog was on a trail and that since people were able to hike in to the dog, they should be able to hike him out. The video clip was edited in a way that it looked like people were with the dog, however those guys were approx. 300 feet above with a cliff and a creek between them. That is where the dog was spotted from and the person (an experienced hiker) decided he couldn't get any closer safely. NSR was called along with myself and we spotted the dog from the air in the same spot an hour later.

 

Why was he still there? As it happens with many people in the mountains, he was "cliffed out" and pacing on a 5'x10' ledge. The fact is I can think of at least a dozen rescues in the last couple of years where people were unhurt yet unable to move from a location due to terrain. So, if NSR or any joe public had taken the time and risk to hike to the dog, guess how they would have gotten out? Whoever said Class D, give yourself a pat on the back.

 

Other options usually include a hover exit or hiking in/rope rescue. Those options were discounted for reasons already mentioned. However lets talk about hover exit for a second. Who would do a hover exit for a dog? Almost everybody I bet. Many of the guys I have talked to with actual class D experience say (and I agree)that they would prefer class D over hover exit.

 

Everybody that is worried about your engine going cough,cough....

Is it any better when you are setting a drill, water bucketing, hover exiting, flying in the mountains with no options to land? When you're taking your dirt nap some will say " at least he died doing something he loved" and some will say "he died to save some trees?????" (or dog).

 

The two guys on the line along with Tim Jones as the spotter make up one of the most experienced Class D teams around. They are people that I consider friends and believe me, when we decide to do any Class D operation, a part of me always thinks of their young families as well as mine.

 

As part of the pre-mission briefing we discuss go/no-go factors. In this case, we decided that the parameters would be viewed as a training flight. Coincidentally we are doing their re-cert this weekend...

 

As far as getting paid as a reason for doing it, the money collected from the family is being donated to the SPCA in Hurley's name. I said we should keep it but Peter is too generous as usual....

 

 

Now that some of the "facts" have been cleared up, let's keep the discussion going. I will address any questions posted...........Welcome to the new civilized forum...hopefully

 

Kelsey Wheeler

GO CANUCKS GO!!

 

Thanks for the info, it's nice to see someone make a statment here the is able to back it up.

Cheers