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Blackbeard: Welcome aboard, an interesting opinion on cargo movers.
Actually, if you were being sued for dropping a load that was slung by helicopter, you would have to prove that pilot was not responsible.
" I agree that pilots and operators must take responsiblity for external load but let us not confuse this with FAULT. Blame cannot always be placed with the pilot for a dropped load, even if it is not rigged correctly. Like aircraft accidents, there are usually many factors contributing to the final result including inexperience, company pressure, customer pressure and peer pressure; to name a few."
" inexperience, company pressure, customer pressure and peer pressure; to name a few."
These again are vued by a third party , such as a judge, as mitigating factors, but the PIC has the final say. The PIC is the professional for that particular job as he was chosen to do the job. The PIC always has the option of refusing the sling load for any valid reason and any company that pressures a pilot to exceed his capabilities or sling loads that are unsafe are not worth your life.
The writer of a particular "V" read by all and I got into a discussion about this actual topic and the consensus was that some pilots are sent to do sling jobs by inexperienced operations people and the results are catastrophic. The result was as follows, the pilot had every indication that he was maxed out, weight wise after a couple of attemps. He was on a long line and the load began swinging, he was running out of cyclic and pickled the load.
Once airspeed is reduced the load will slow it's swinging arc and if you are not overweight to start with, you can get it under control, continue on, or return to the take-off zone.
I was involved with this initially and after the fact, once the load was dropped. There is a video of the whole operation and should be part of a safety scenario.
The well intentioned pilot that was chosen by the company, was a mistake, (the pilot was not current on longlining with that type helicopter) the peer pressure that the pilot was exposed to, was tremendous.
Pilots have to learn to get rid of the "MACHO" attitude and admit to themselves that they cannot always do everything.
REMEBER MOST ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY THE PILOT EXCEEDING HIS/HER CAPABLITIES AND/OR THOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Actually, if you were being sued for dropping a load that was slung by helicopter, you would have to prove that pilot was not responsible.
" I agree that pilots and operators must take responsiblity for external load but let us not confuse this with FAULT. Blame cannot always be placed with the pilot for a dropped load, even if it is not rigged correctly. Like aircraft accidents, there are usually many factors contributing to the final result including inexperience, company pressure, customer pressure and peer pressure; to name a few."
" inexperience, company pressure, customer pressure and peer pressure; to name a few."
These again are vued by a third party , such as a judge, as mitigating factors, but the PIC has the final say. The PIC is the professional for that particular job as he was chosen to do the job. The PIC always has the option of refusing the sling load for any valid reason and any company that pressures a pilot to exceed his capabilities or sling loads that are unsafe are not worth your life.
The writer of a particular "V" read by all and I got into a discussion about this actual topic and the consensus was that some pilots are sent to do sling jobs by inexperienced operations people and the results are catastrophic. The result was as follows, the pilot had every indication that he was maxed out, weight wise after a couple of attemps. He was on a long line and the load began swinging, he was running out of cyclic and pickled the load.
Once airspeed is reduced the load will slow it's swinging arc and if you are not overweight to start with, you can get it under control, continue on, or return to the take-off zone.
I was involved with this initially and after the fact, once the load was dropped. There is a video of the whole operation and should be part of a safety scenario.
The well intentioned pilot that was chosen by the company, was a mistake, (the pilot was not current on longlining with that type helicopter) the peer pressure that the pilot was exposed to, was tremendous.
Pilots have to learn to get rid of the "MACHO" attitude and admit to themselves that they cannot always do everything.
REMEBER MOST ACCIDENTS ARE CAUSED BY THE PILOT EXCEEDING HIS/HER CAPABLITIES AND/OR THOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Great stuff Blackmac. My point was about how we in the industry view flying underslung loads, and some of the problems and issues that arise. 
