Posted on 07/27/2007 1:17:37 PM PDT by Milwaukee_Guy
Phoenix — Two helicopters collided in midair and crashed while covering a police pursuit in central Phoenix Friday afternoon, killing at least two people. Both helicopters were news choppers from local television stations.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I’d favor an A-10...
Aw. This is awful.
Prayers for their families. How sad.
The perp or the hostage?
Was just watching some footage from Phoenix channel 12 that provides a good example of the extreme double-standard of the media. The ‘copter reporter focuses on the blazing wreckage and says he doesn’t want to get closer because, “The people who are actually inside those helicopters could be really good friends of ours.”
I doubt any such sensitivity would be shown to chopper pilots in other professions in similar circumstances.
Probably not taping, but hovering and acting as a microwave relay platform.
The unit(s) on the ground do all the video and then have a microwave uplink to the chopper which relays to the teeheevee station for recording/broadcast.
Usually, if the chopper is photographing/videoing the actual scene, they will mostly circle, getting various shots/angles. Doing that, they don't usually need to hover for long periods. Acting as a microwave relay, they need to stay in one stationary place - thus hovering for long periods.
With your complaint (and possibly how many others???), they'd just have the chopper move off to another position and relay from there. Precise location isn't needed, but steady hovering would be, in order to be the "target" of the uplinks.
I'd suspect that the hovering would be most nerve wracking for the pilot, requiring the most precise control.
I think newer uplink equipment doesn't need the relay to be or stay in a precise location, like some of the older microwave stuff.
Molly “The Flying Dog” flies with [Craig] Smith in the mornings but was not aboard the aircraft during the collision.
Molly, a west highland white terrier, was fully trained by Vladae “The Russian Dog Wizard” to ride in Chopper15 with Smith. She sits inside a small, restrained portable pet carrier.
When my dad was killed thirteen years ago I had to deal with the media. My husband and I learned how to “play” with them at the time. So, I have always been pretty anti-media. One station that was very sensitive was Channel 3. Sometimes they have had a couple of ya-hoos who either eventually left or learned to act more human. But, I have always liked the people on Channel 3. They always seemed like nice people overall.
LOL......I could have written that better:)
just fer yew.....
shoot the engines and if necessary, the perps......never the hostages.....
Yep, you and others are right on target here.
The deaths are a sad reality. So was the chase coverage they were producing.
While I do want to know what is taking place in my community, I do wish the media would keep the negative stories to ‘just the facts mam’, and provide a lot more positive information.
I doubt any such sensitivity would be shown to chopper pilots in other professions in similar circumstances.
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True Dat,,,A Military crew would have been on the ground
in that open area if they thought they could help...
Additional prayers for all.
Daughter flies Medical Copter out of SC. The air service
experienced 3 fatalities in 2004. I have latent fears every time she reports for a shift.
You cant charge that guy for an aviation accident....
I agree Karl. Did you think I suggested that?
I do think the penalty for fleeing a persuing officer should be stiffened considerably.
Any persuit lasting over five minutes should result in imprisonment of the driver for ten years and the passengers for five years unless held hostage.
Any deaths that resulted from the chase should garner the driver the death penalty and the passengers at least ten years if they weren’t hostages.
Prayers for the families, and victims, of this horrible crash.
Oh, that’s tough. She’s probably most needed during bad weather. She doing a lot of good.
I’m so sorry about your dad!
Nah...I just think it is ridiculous to suggest it. I guess the Mayor of Phoenix is demanding it. What a clown.
The FAA report is going to blame the Air 3 pilot primarily, and the 15 guy too.
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