This sentence and the headline do not exactly mesh with eachother.
Plenty of instrument rated pilots crash because they aren’t proficient. They must fly instruments frequently in order to remain proficient.
I'm licensed to carry a concealed handgun, it doesn't make me a Navy Seal or Jerry Miculek.
Every commercial pilot is certified to fly by instruments. If this is correct this company wasn’t authorized to operate its helicopters under instrument required flight conditions. Meaning he wouldn’t get much instrument flying practice unless he paid for it himself or trained with a buddy who was paying for it.
Agree. Not allowed is by the company policy and agreements with the FAA. Nonetheless, a series of decisions led to a tragic ending.
Transitioning suddenly from VFR to IFR is fraught with dangers, even for the best pilots properly certified to fly both. Helicopters, even new ones, don’t exactly fly themselves.
Also, one thing I haven’t seen discussed, is how often helicopters DO proceed in marginal conditions. The nature of the helicopter makes this generally safer than in fixed-wing craft. They can stop, hover, or actually be set down in a safe spot if going on is to difficult. See, e.g., Alaska flight rules and the use of helicopters.
Island Express Helicopters, a Long Beach-based company that has seven helicopters registered to it and a related holding corporation, is certified under Part 135 of FAA regulations to provide on-demand charter services under VFR conditions only, according to FAA records.
Yes, it does. The pilot had an instrument rating. The company he flew for had a VFR only policy. Pretty simple. Despite that policy, the company probably requires all of its pilots to have the instrument rating for insurance purposes.
The company rules did not allow IFR..............