Double Tree Cairns - Chopper Crashed into Roof

[bussyboy]

If they think there are learnings and recommendations to be made, I would imagine so.

There would be a few in areas that are not exclusive to aviation but there may not be all that many that are relevant to a lawfully operated flight.

 

[jastel]

There is a key...it was in the ignition...but as the company owner said its common practice with 40 pilots you cant have them taking the keys home with them on their days off etc.
Even if it was stored in a safe at the office or something this guy was an employee and would have the codes anyway.

 

[straitman]

@straitman how do you start a helicopter like that? Is there a key or some authorisation or you just start the start procedure?

I am glad @jastel answered for me. I am fortunate enough to have never held an endorsement for anything that small or flimsy. I have flown in some a few times and have to say they are scary. eg I got out of an S-76 one day and climbed into an R22 with a CASA examiner. He was paranoid about it which didn't do much to reassure me.

 

[jastel]

Im only reporting what the Cairns Post paper said...Im not any expert in the matter.

But it is sensible to leave the keys for the next bloke. The key would not be much more than a simple lock to shut the door and crank the starter, like a 73 Kingswood, there wouldnt be any "extra" immobiliser type stuff fitted I doubt.

I want to know what the control tower was doing? Not heard anything about that.
The flight was only 4 minutes so IF they called anybody, the crash had probably happened already.

There is NO curfew here, but not usually any commercial flights between midnight and 4am or so if things are on time. The only after hours things are Rescue/Police choppers usually.

Saw the hotel today, the top floor room damaged is boarded up and so is the chunk missing from the parapet wall above the room but you'd have to be looking for any damage.

 

[Saab34]

Interesting point. What do controllers do in between dead periods in Towers? Ie if they know they have no flight plans in the system or expected, say between 12-4am, what do they do? Read a book? Computer stuff?

 

[straitman]

Interesting point. What do controllers do in between dead periods in Towers? Ie if they know they have no flight plans in the system or expected, say between 12-4am, what do they do? Read a book? Computer stuff?

... and generally get bored. A bit like long haul airline pilots really.

 

[jastel]

Is it even manned for those hours?
Or is it a somebody calls/wake up type deal with the guy asleep onsite if no activity.

 

[Saab34]

Cairns Tower is 24/7. If someone jumps on frequency and makes a call, the expectation is someone responds back immediately. They would also be the ground and delivery controller at the same time.

 

[jastel]

Just on news...Traffic Controller saw nothing as he was "resting" in a reclining chair with no view of the airport after the last flight at 12:38am...this is an established practice they said.

 

[Cynicor]

Got to say, seems pretty fair. It’s not like they are airport supervisors/securtiy. I imagine a radio is up on high volume and the phone works so any legitimate last minute traffic would wake them up (100% they were asleep ).

Disclaimer- I have no knowledge of the job. I just know on my night shifts, if I have no jobs i am asleep.

 

[justinbrett]

Just on news...Traffic Controller saw nothing as he was "resting" in a reclining chair with no view of the airport after the last flight at 12:38am...this is an established practice they said.

We had the same policy in Darwin. Although the difference was we had two controllers, one for tower / ground combined and the other for approach / delivery. Both in the tower cabin. Only one controller could rest (eyes closed, power nap) at once. We used to watch 2-3 movies a night. It took me years after that posting to start watching movies in my own time.

Got to say, seems pretty fair. It’s not like they are airport supervisors/securtiy. I imagine a radio is up on high volume and the phone works so any legitimate last minute traffic would wake them up (100% they were asleep ).

Disclaimer- I have no knowledge of the job. I just know on my night shifts, if I have no jobs i am asleep.

Yes, once the traffic was light we unplugged headsets and went to handhelds - the built in “phone” on the console and the speakers were loud. You definitely would hear the clicks mentioned in the article as the CNS controller did.

For approach the first contact would be coord from Brisbane centre, for tower it was mostly aircraft under tow, or otherwise you’d have a flight plan for departure. Basically nothing required you to sit looking out the window constantly, so I see nothing wrong with the CNS policy.

We looked at moving approach to Brisbane or Amberley and single person night shift was a big issue, a work around identified was to base the tech in the tower overnight (they used to stay in the approach room). We also had a security guard who would often visit because he was bored, which was often annoying as we had to pause the movie.

 

[Scarlett]

@justinbrett what number did you achieve during a night time ‘runway inspection’, during some of those shifts?
Maybe leave the first digit off your answer…

 

[justinbrett]

@justinbrett what number did you achieve during a night time ‘runway inspection’, during some of those shifts?
Maybe leave the first digit off your answer…

Number of what? I must be missing something.

 

[Scarlett]

Number of what? I must be missing something.

Top speed?

 

[justinbrett]

Top speed?

Oh. We didn’t do them. Darwin Airport has a 24/7 safety officer that did the inspections.

We were qualified but the only time I drove on the airfield was to take a short cut from the tower to the RAAF base to attend to RAAF business (Darwin Tower is next to the terminal on the opposite side of the runway to the base).

At other bases I’d exceed 100 on the runway but not while doing an inspection (defeats the purpose). When I was in sale they filmed a race with Ricardo (F1) vs a Hornet.

 

[jastel]

At Cairns Airport you ask security how many mudcrabs they caught on their perimeter lap...