Airship G-TLEL fatal crash

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DIBO
Posts: 674
Joined: 28 Mar 2009, 14:54

Airship G-TLEL fatal crash

Post by DIBO »

Very sad indeed : http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/4543 ... crash.html

Like many of us, saw it only a month ago in action (and heard it over the radio) at EBAW and later on at EBGB. Don't know if it was Mike's (RIP) calm, professional voice I heard over the airwaves, going-around and coming in again fighting the gusty weather at EBAW. Such an experienced airship pilot !! And all it takes is a split-second decision to stay onboard after the pax jumped to safety. With just 2 days of age-difference, exactly the same age as me. He would have been 53 next Wednesday. It makes one think...

regi
Posts: 5140
Joined: 02 Sep 2004, 00:00
Location: Bruges

Re: Airship G-TLEL fatal crash

Post by regi »

sad news indeed.
First of all: we may consider this pilot as a brave person who protected his passengers and tried to avoid a crash involving damage/casualties on the ground. In doing so he lost his own life in a very dramatic way.

The airships are promoted as the safest way of aerial transportation. But there is always something that can go wrong.
Several articles mentioned the smell of petrol. Would diesel engines not be a safer solution? And/or fire resistant fabrics?

I have to think also about the Thai military that introduced an airship to monitor the troubles in the deep south of Thailand. :roll:

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