ROV pilot.
Nobody knows what happened, in fact there was not a "Prepare to Ditch" announcement! Were they disorientated? Bad Vis / No horizon etc, remember it was 500m from the platform and there were no indication of any problems in very low cloud. In fact the passengers did not realise they were in the water until it started coming into the aircraft.
Apart from that the pilots were only doing what they were trained to do.
(Look after Number one) ie. If they survive then most likely we will too.
Anyway, apart from that I have never seen or heard of a PILOT fix anything.
You are right RovRat, it is one of our worst nightmares, but everybody also has to remember the Peelots like to go home at night as well.
Spark, know what you mean, I, for my creaking bones will testify, go back well before the Chinook went down close to Sumburgh, also been involved in 2 on land emergency landings (both just after we took off from Aberdeen).
Cheers,
Thank goodness for ships without helidecks .
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