M444TTB Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I've never really been into rallying. Too young to notice Group B and Group A. It was only McRae, and Subaru/Prodrive that registered. While I admire Loeb my interest died again with Burns passing. The thing I liked about McRae was his approach to driving even if I think it was silly. If I'd ever been a driver I'd have been of the measured Prost approach, but the likes of McRae are the other end of the scale. I'm not sure he'd trade a few wins for a few more championships. This said the huge cloud that will always hang over his legacy is that he took the same approach to flying his helicopter. What a huge shame it is too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 b*******. Missed this. Anyone know if/when they're showing repeats? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham0127 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 b*******. Missed this. Anyone know if/when they're showing repeats? Maybe you can catch up on BBC I Player ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajpearson Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Colin Mcrae was not an inexperienced pilot, yes he did not technically have a licence but he was a good pilot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterg Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Colin Mcrae was not an inexperienced pilot, yes he did not technically have a licence but he was a good pilot not according to the AAIB report, helicopters and reckless flying don't go together, chucking a car about is one thing, doing it in a helicopter close to the ground with passengers is another... I admired his driving skills and think It's a shame that his memory will always be tainted with the sad ending for all four involved. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Maybe you can catch up on BBC I Player ?? Excellent! Can download it (and still the Stirling Moss one)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajpearson Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I disagree low flying is the most enjoyable part of flying helicopters, my mate taught him to fly and he was good on the sticks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Didn't they say that it was poor visibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M444TTB Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I had a quick scan of the report and couldn't see that it was. He was simply flying outside of the range of his experience, hence not sufficiently recovering after whatever mistake he (probably - not conclusively) made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterg Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Sheriff Nikola Stewart, who heard the inquiry over 16 days at Lanark Sheriff Court, concluded that the deaths could have been avoided if Mr McRae had not engaged in low-level flying "when it was unnecessary and unsafe to do so". "Mr McRae chose to fly the helicopter into the valley. For a private pilot such as Mr McRae, lacking the necessary training, experience or requirement to do so, embarking upon such demanding, low-level flying in such difficult terrain, was imprudent, unreasonable and contrary to the principles of good airmanship." The ruling states that the accident happened when, due to an "unknown occurrence", the aircraft deviated from its intended flight path and crashed into trees lining the side of Mouse Valley. The aircraft was in powered flight at the time of the crash and Mr McRae had attempted to recover from that unknown incident. These attempts, the sheriff said, were unsuccessful because of the position and speed of the helicopter within Mouse Valley and the ensuing restrictions on opportunities to land the helicopter or fly it to safety. Such options would have been available to him had he "adhered to rules of good airmanship and desisted from flying in the valley at low height and high speed", she said. 'Unsafe' flying The sheriff stated: "It would have been a reasonable precaution to refrain from flying helicopter G-CBHL into Mouse Valley wherein the pilot engaged in low-level flying when it was unnecessary and unsafe for him to do so, and whilst carrying passengers on board." As part of the hearing, the sheriff and lawyers involved in the case visited the woods where the Eurocopter Squirrel aircraft crashed. One of the crash victims, Mr Duncan, filmed much of the outbound and return flights on his personal camcorder and some of the footage was recovered and included in the inquiry hearings. Sheriff Stewart said the footage indicated that the helicopter was being flown "at unnecessarily low heights". "He (Mr McRae) undertook significant manoeuvring at low level and the helicopter seems to have encountered significant g-loading as a result, to the evident enjoyment of his passengers. "The episodes of extremely low-level flying and the excessive manoeuvre parameters, particularly the descent into the valley by Larkhall, all as captured on the video recording, are indicative of an aircraft being flown imprudently, without due regard to the principles of good airmanship and in such a way that normal safety margins would be reduced." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham0127 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Let`s leave the guy alone.........it was a tragic accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 **** happens ,we all make mistakes and bad decisions at some point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham0127 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 **** happens ,we all make mistakes and bad decisions at some point Thankyou....at last someone who realises we are what we are.....human.... and as Steve says `we all make mistakes..........` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Let`s leave the guy alone.........it was a tragic accident. I concur, let he be remembered for the achievements I was fortunate to see Colin the year he raced at LeMans, and it's a memory that sticks in my mind as to how much of a likeable character and sportsman he was. We were in the town watching the drivers parade as the car carrying Colin and his Ferrari team mates rounded the corner where we were stood. A group of about 8 English fans next to us broke through the security barriers and knelt in the road blocking their way and proceeded to worship the ground in front of him. There was a look of great surprise amongst the drivers and also the local security could do nothing to move them on, but Colin smiling throughout shook each one by their hands, posed for a couple of photos and the obliging fans then left them to go on there way A true sportsman and an inspiration Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cast iron Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I feel sorry for the remains of the two families involved in the Crash. No one will ever truly know how or why it happened. Tragic whichever way you look at it. I still wont forget my trip in the navigators seat with him.. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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