Another RC heli fatality

[FuturaSE]

Anyone has an email address of Tareq Alsaadi?

I have to talk with him about this

[Jez N]

This is why the idea of RTF models frightens me..

Now any numpty can get there hands on a heli and cause damage.

Been saying the same for ages. Ever sine the blade series started to get going. But that's a whole different thread and not for here. Condolences to his family and clearly something which shocks and focuses people's minds. I am sure he was a good guy and as careful as the rest of us. Unfortunately bad stuff happens and no matter how careful. If you want to fly this way you have to take the risk.

[Varelco]

This is awful Rest in peace Roman.

[dillwhacker]

Tragic? Yes. Accident? Yes.
But we do this from our love of Adrenaline. It is what makes us monkeys alive.
Why do we throw a bike into a corner when the boots scrape and the pegs scrape and then we want the knee to scrape?
Why do we slide a car round a wet corner and boot it to get the back to slide ?
Why do we love the sound of an EE lightning at Mach 2 or even a TDR at 150 MPH in a dive?
Why did I spend 2 years at college leaping out of airplanes at 12,000 feet?
Adrenaline. Fuel of life.
R.I.P. Roman. I'm sure you had a good one.

[robbus]

I'm very saddened by this news..a young talented man just enjoying his hobby/passion/profession and...losing his LIFE!!! I'm so very sorry for the family and friends. A few years ago while still learning (do we ever stop learning!) my innovator 3d hit my shins and the bruises/gashes took weeks to heal...In my own profession like many others i am sure, we are encouraged/obliged to do risk assessments,...what can go wrong, how can i minimise the risks etc etc etc. Every time I fly I think who is about, what if i fly here/there sun/wind etc etc? but what this TRAGIC event shows is that you should also not ignore the potential risks to yourself. I get annoyed when people say" toy helicopters", they are defintely not toys as we all know and should be treated with great respect. I hope that if something good can come out of this tragedy it is that all of us who fly anything bigger than a 250 (i,m sure thats most of us) think.."I remember poor Roman, lets just keep this heli a bit further away from me, its still exciting and just that bit more safe.

[Rotorhead]

....I fear it's only a matter of time before this foolhardy approach to safety results in a serious accident.....

Been saying as much for years, but the response to genuine safety concerns seems to always be hostile, no sooner do you raise the issue you get labelled a "kill joy" or "the fun police" or some other such dismissive term, and nothing changes.

Sorry to say it but safe flying is given only lip service in this hobby, with very very few exceptions, think about the last time you raised an issue at your club and how long it was until it was back to the same old pattern, if anything was done at all....

[tomatwalden]

So you wrap up in leathers. What about bystanders?
Far simpler just not to fly in a dangerous manner in the first place. Flying a 700 within two metres of yourself is just suicide.

("the heli is in the final stages of an auto-rotation in that shot - so NO POWER, and about 2 metres in front of Roman." Tomatwalden)
Two metres still doesn't make it okay.

I was making more of a point about tabloid dramatisation. The article implied he "restarted the motor inches from his head" - which as a move would be tantamount to dicing with suicide. He clearly wasn't - he was doing an auto-rotation in that vid. My point therefore, is less about the 2 metres (though I mentioned that to counteract the statement "inches from his head"), and more about the lack of power to the blades.

If a 700 coming down without power hit you - no doubt it would hurt - BADLY. But, the chances of a fatal injury compared to under power are far less. I don't know the maths, but I would imagine the difference is significant. So, with regards to the move in the video showing an auto - to a few metres in front of him - do I think that's an overtly dangerous move - life threatening? Honestly, no, not really. By the time the pilot flares, most of the kinetic energy in the blades will be used keeping the heli from fighting gravity.

Hovering/flying/hurricanes two metres from yourself (with anything above a 130x) ? Ridiculously dangerous - I agree!

[tomatwalden]

his is why the idea of RTF models frightens me..

Now any numpty can get there hands on a heli and cause damage.

Been saying the same for ages. Ever sine the blade series started to get going. .

See I have a different view. I am glad Blade helis existed so I could learn carefully with micros before venturing into larger helis. Frankly, people learning from scratch on 2nd hand Raptor's is what scares me ...

(addendum : In that statement - I exclude people learning at a school or with a club, or under experienced supervision ).

[AndyThilo]

Is there an age limit for buying heli's in the UK?

I'd be interested to hear from the Father as to what his thoughts on safety are now.

The UK media have no clue about our 'Toys'. They are ignorant to them and should be treated as such (I mean expect the media to be ignorant). Headlines sell papers, and that's all they're interested in.

Does anyone know what actually happened yet? Pilot error, mechanical failure?

[AndyThilo]

Ooo here we go, knew it had to happen sooner or later:

Ban Model Helicopters Until Investigation is Done into Death: Councilman - Metropolis - WSJ

[Rotorhead]

Didn't take long did it.

This accident like all accidents involving model aircraft which are in flight (I'm not counting pit accidents such as fingers in the prop) all come down to one thing, safe distance, if you keep the model at a sensible distance from yourself and others then this can't happen, so to people who think that allowing the model to come in so close (which it must have done) is "safe" this is what will result, an accident sooner or later which puts the future of the hobby at risk for us all.... thanks a lot.

[highlightshadow]

Does anyone know what actually happened yet? Pilot error, mechanical failure?

From eye witnesses the heli was doing a hurricane and then went out of control .... still unknown though whether this was pilot error or some failure

[Gixxer]

Someone died whilst doing something dangerous... shock horror! It's a dangerous hobby, ergo, partaking in it can be dangerous, and the closer you fly to yourself, the more dangerous it becomes, obviously, but it's a risk you assume when you get into the hobby.

There are loads of dangerous hobbies with no regulations. If I wanted to take up knife juggling tomorrow, I could, but I wouldn't expect a ban on knives if I killed myself doing it.

Nobody should have the right to tell a pilot how close he's allowed to fly to himself, it's ridiculous.

Imagine telling Jeb Corliss that he's not allowed to fly within 500 feet of the ground, in case he might injure himself? We wouldn't get videos like this...

The world is turning into a proper nanny state... It's ridiculous!

[PorscheBoy]

Someone died whilst doing something dangerous... shock horror! It's a dangerous hobby, ergo, partaking in it can be dangerous, and the closer you fly to yourself, the more dangerous it becomes, obviously, but it's a risk you assume when you get into the hobby.

There are loads of dangerous hobbies with no regulations. If I wanted to take up knife juggling tomorrow, I could, but I wouldn't expect a ban on knives if I killed myself doing it.

Nobody should have the right to tell a pilot how close he's allowed to fly to himself, it's ridiculous.

Imagine telling Jeb Corliss that he's not allowed to fly within 500 feet of the ground, in case he might injure himself? We wouldn't get videos like this...

The world is turning into a proper nanny state... It's ridiculous!

Great vid, especially the fly past.

[AndyThilo]

From eye witnesses the heli was doing a hurricane and then went out of control .... still unknown though whether this was pilot error or some failure

Oh that's awful

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