Police Scotland Helicopter POLICE 51 returns

[radioenthusiast2011]

Monitoring Glasgow Approach at 2111hours and heard callsign POLICE 51 indicating he was heading to land at SECC.

I can only assume that Police Scotland have sent a replacement helicopter.

Was quite strange to hear again.

[kr0ne]

I'm pretty sure the helicopter is operated by a private contractor.

Presumably there is some sort of SLA in place between the contractor and Police Scotland. I would imagine they are ultimately responsible for ensuring the availability of a (any) helicopter and pilot.

[thelad]

Bond Helicopters have the contract.

[stratocaster]

It's a temporary one borrowed from an English force believed to be Northumbrian/Tees using the callsign of the ill fated EC 135 until a suitable replacement is sourced.And yes,correct,Bond still have the contract.

[kr0ne]

I see the preliminary findings are that there was no mechanical failure of either the gearbox or the engines and that there was 10 - 15 minutes of fuel remaining.

They mention that neither of the rotors were turning at the point of impact though and that the helicopter appears to have had no forward velocity. i.e. it fell straight down.

[scottyboy]

It sure is strange, helicopters dont just drop so it must have been somthing that locked the blades and tail rotar up to cause this accident, it wont be good news for other operators of this type of helicopter if an exact cause is not found.

[thelad]

It sure is strange, helicopters dont just drop so it must have been somthing that locked the blades and tail rotar up to cause this accident, it wont be good news for other operators of this type of helicopter if an exact cause is not found.

no mechanical failure was found in the "drive train" so far.

AAIB report:http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cf ... O%20v2.pdf

[scottyboy]

It sure is strange, helicopters dont just drop so it must have been somthing that locked the blades and tail rotar up to cause this accident, it wont be good news for other operators of this type of helicopter if an exact cause is not found.

no mechanical failure was found in the "drive train" so far.

AAIB report:http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cf ... O%20v2.pdf

interesting read, its flightpath took it over my house around 30mins before the crash.

[kr0ne]

It sure is strange, helicopters dont just drop so it must have been somthing that locked the blades and tail rotar up to cause this accident

They don't, but police helicopters routinely operate below the height at which they can land safely using autorotation.

[scottyboy]

i would still think even at low altitude if there was a major engine failure or loss of power then the blades would still rotate, but it seems the blades were not rotating as it fell from whatever height it was flying at, which then looks like the blades and tail rotor have locked up all of a sudden.

[thelad]

To autorotate you would still need airspeed and hight, the fact there was no pan call points to electrical problems, the pilot being ill or unable to PTT or it happend that fast they was no time.

[kr0ne]

Bond have now grounded all 22 of their Eurocopter 135s in response to a separate incident involving an air ambulance yesterday.

That's a fair few copper choppers and air ambos up and down the country not going anywhere for a while.

They say there is no link to the Scotland crash but I can't help but wonder...

[MrWeetabix]

Bond have now grounded all 22 of their Eurocopter 135s in response to a separate incident involving an air ambulance yesterday.

That's a fair few copper choppers and air ambos up and down the country not going anywhere for a while.

They say there is no link to the Scotland crash but I can't help but wonder...

I think it was related to a gauge giving an inaccurate reading on one of them, which seems to be an easy fix, so as they are checked/corrected the Helos are coming back online. I think most of them are back now.

The missus asked me if I wanted some Helicopter lessons for Xmas before this happened. To which my answer was HELL NO. At least in my fixed wing, if my engine dies, I can glide the thing to a rough landing, or at least give myself a chance (my previous aircraft suffered an engine failure and was still able to land back at an airfield, with no damage or injury). Being an telecoms engineer, I am a keen believer in never having a single point of failure, Single-engine, rota-bladed aircraft screams SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE to me and my own sense of self-preservation dictates Helo lessons are NOT for me! ha

[thelad]

Just to point out the EC135 is a twin engine.