Which is more dangerous ?

**Tribesman** · 06-25-2007, 01:04

1A bunch of American F-16s roaring round the skies of Galway doing funny tricks at high speed.
2A British Merlin helicopter on static display ?

Yep its #2
Salthill airshow had its first aircraft accident today , a helicopter in the static display lost a door when it was leaving at the end of the show , it hit 3 spectators on the beach .

What are the chances of that eh ?

None were seriously injured though .

A link might follow when the newspapers are up to date on the story .

**Big King Sanctaphrax** · 06-25-2007, 01:10

Sounds like an open and shut case to me. The pilots must feel door-ful, though.

**Adrian II** · 06-25-2007, 07:33

Originally Posted by Big King Sanctaphrax

The pilots must feel door-ful, though.

I wonder what British torque law says about this.

**Husar** · 06-25-2007, 11:23

So the british maintain their helicopters about as good as we do.

**Grey_Fox** · 06-25-2007, 13:49

Either the GAAW got to the helicopter with a hatchet

or

poor maintenance exacerbated by that wonder of modern socialism and good government Labour's budget... well cutbacks doesn't do it justice, I suppose it could be gutting of their defense budget

or

the opening shots of the invasion of ireland using top secret new weaponry and techniques learned learned in afghanistan.

**Husar** · 06-25-2007, 16:53

Originally Posted by Grey_Fox

poor maintenance exacerbated by that wonder of modern socialism and good government Labour's budget... well cutbacks doesn't do it justice, I suppose it could be gutting of their defense budget

I think accidents due to maintenance are more problem of the humans involved in maintenance, if they cannot afford the spare parts, the thing shouldn't fly, but if they're just lazy or accidentally overlooked something, they'll give it a green light and bad things can happen. If the money is insufficient, the things should just rot in the hangars due to a lack of spare parts, that's at least how I understand safety routines.

**Grey_Fox** · 06-25-2007, 18:48

That's how it should be done, but it doesn't happen as often as would be liked.

**Tribesman** · 06-25-2007, 19:02

An interesting accident statisticly , if you drop a door on a crowd in town a third of the people it hits will be foriegn .

**Seamus Fermanagh** · 06-25-2007, 20:55

Originally Posted by Grey_Fox

poor maintenance exacerbated by that wonder of modern socialism and good government Labour's budget... well cutbacks doesn't do it justice, I suppose it could be gutting of their defense budget.

Couldn't it be better argued that the current level of military spending is way too high? After all, since the decision was made to down-size the Royal Military so thoroughly, what is the point of maintaining anything aside from a Home Defense capability?

[Note: Question is somewhat, but not entirely, tongue-in-cheek]