Flying Low

[MMike]

Ok so I was at my parents place today. I took my girls to the local sledding hill which looks over lax st Louis. Ie. part of the st Lawrence.

 

Behind some trees I heard what sounded like a helicopter but it seemed too low. So I thought maybe it was a hovercraft or something. But it was the sound was moving too fast. Sure enough from behind the trees emerges an ec120. And he was low. Way low. If he was 30 off the deck I'd be surprised. But let's be generous. And say he was 60 feet. I got a good view and he was about as high as the aircraft is long. But again let's say he was even 80 feet up.

 

And he was doing a good 100 kias. I have a knack for judging speed. I just do. You'll have to take my word for it. But fine say it was only 60 kias. But he was moving.

 

He was flying over the frozen lake. So it's not like he would hit anything. But is that a bad idea?

[SuddenStop]

The negative reps you got already probably come from the pilot flying it and his buddy filming it from the cockpit.

 

there's rules out there, and let me remind you the rules get broken everyday. Its not illegal unless you get caught right?

[SuddenStop]

the professionism of pilots, especially the private pilot crowd is low, and if I'm not mistaken it's CAR 602.14(2) that gets most of the guys in trouble, and costs them around $750 as a fine.

 

Why don't you go ahead and report it Mike. Screw the whiners here.

 

 

You can call the Civil Aviation Communications Centre at 1-800-305-2059 and let them decide.

[Heli_canada]

If its uncontrolled airspace he can be that low. No built up areas etc.

I think indicated airspeed would be difficult to judge from the ground.

[MMike]

Well if this provides any context......I was on top of the sledding hill. So I was actually looking down at him. Elevation of the hill I was on is less than 100 ft.

 

This is a residential suburban neighbourhood. But he was flying over the frozen lake. I assume that is not considered built up. So even if he piled it up, he likely wouldn't have hurt anyone. (Maybe some ice-fishermen or cross-country skiers I guess)

[Blade Slapped]

So when we are hugging one side of the valley in a tight valley during mountain ops I'm breaking the law?

[SuddenStop]

nobody said he was breaking the law at this point. however had their been one person below him, say walking their dog, then maybe.

 

bottom line is the armchair quarterbacks where not there and have no right to defend the pilot in a situation they did not observe. I learned that lesson being critical of a dumbass pilot bladestrike awhile back.

 

Mike was there however, and if mike feels the pilot did something wrong, he should report it. i pointed him in the direction to do so. let the enforcement division determine if any laws were broken. maybe there are several complaints already, maybe not. Maybe this pilot has a history of scud running. Maybe enforcement can elighten mike and say there is a helipad just down the way.

 

Safety is everyones business. So unless you were there with Mike, or the pilot "commanding" the ship, there is no reason to make all the assumptions about what if this what if that...

 

Report it Mike with the info you have, and lets the chips fall where they do.

[SuddenStop]

the little whiney jackoff who knows where the neg rep button is should man up and make an effort to add something to the conversation.

[MMike]

Egad......

 

Are all pilots like this?

 

And I'm not even saying anything was illegal......I'm not even passing judgment..I was just asking if it would be "ill-advised".

 

I'm just asking a #### question of people that supposedly would be "in the know". Once again....I should have known better than to do so.

 

A-holes. (not you SS)

 

"Oh no!! childish name-calling!! This strips you of what little credibility you may have had! No wonder everyone neg reps you!! WAAAAHHHH!!"

 

God I wish you could delete threads on this forum.

[Grasshopper]

As usual, everyone gets their shirts in a knot with too little information to make any kind of informed judgement.

 

Without knowing things like exactly what function the aircraft was performing, if necessary approvals had been obtained or not, and if anyone or anything had actually been endangered by the flight, NO-ONE can make a reasoned judgement.

 

However, everyone has THE RIGHT to comment as inanely as they choose. For the little ego boost they get, they receive a commensurate reduction in credibility.

 

As to flying the mountain slopes, we're always required to comply with CARS. If it takes a little longer, so be it. It's another notch in your professionalsm if you do it RIGHT.