Prodrive boss crash lands helicopter, survives
It's been a terrible week in the sky. After 1995 World Rally Champion Colin McRae, his son, and two others died in a crash, hours later, Prodrive chief executive David Richards had to crash land his helicopter. Richards, who led Prodrive to its acquisition of Aston Martin earlier in the year, was unhurt while making the emergency landing. 1981 World Rally Champ Ari Vatanen actually called Richards on the phone to tell him about McRae, but decided to wait until Richards landed before breaking the news. Independent of the level of skill of the pilot, there seems to be a disproportionate amount of crashes by famous people piloting their own aircraft (John Denver, McRae, John F. Kennedy Jr., Jack Roush, to name a few) vs. flying commercial. It may be time for famous people to hang up their bomber jackets in the name of personal safety, and get in line with the rest of us.
[Source: Bandbury Guardian]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ben H. 8:36AM (9/17/2007)
Flying themselves is more out of convenience than anything else. If you had the millions to spend, I'm sure you'd do the same thing.
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Will 8:41AM (9/17/2007)
I don't think that the type of people you mention, (bleeding-edge sports types, pro race drivers, the Kennedys), would heed your warning about safety. Like Clarkson says of the Stig, animal instinct is what drives these men to great feats, (with the exception of the Kennedys,) and I think the rush of flying personal aircraft is how they sate their need for adrenaline when not competing in their respective sports. It's the Alpha Male instinct that prevents them from stepping in line with the rest of us, and instead set their goals higher, whether at work or at play.
If McRae or Richards were like you and I, the former wouldn't be a household name, and the latter wouldn't have had bought Aston Martin. And the only helicopters either would own would be of the radio-controlled variety.
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Eric M 8:42AM (9/17/2007)
I don't think it's disproportionate. What is disproportionate is the amount of press famous people get over "normal" people.
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Lucas 8:49AM (9/17/2007)
Why can't rich people stop piloting their own aircraft?
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Barney 9:07AM (9/17/2007)
Us poor people fly our own planes as well. Do we have to stop too? Flying is like driving and less people crash their planes then people who crash their cars.
Lucas 9:15AM (9/17/2007)
1) If you fly you ain't poor.
2) I think rich people, especially those that grew up rich, take bigger risks because they are more easily bored. If you got a family that depends on you, you ain't flying no helicopter for fun.
My opinions...
Otis 11:41AM (9/18/2007)
While those who fly a plane may not be poor, they don't have to be rich.
The average small plane doesn't cost much more to buy/maintain/operate than the average boat for any given year.
People like to hate on pilots because they're 'rich' but it really just proves that you're jealous because you can't afford the same.
Barney 4:47PM (9/17/2007)
Lucas "1) If you fly you ain't poor."
Just what is poor to you? The Cessna 150 I share, cost me $10,000 Cdn. I have two partners and we pay $150 a month at the airpark. It has to be inspected once a year and the engine must be overhauled after so many hours. The overhaul is expensive but the old plane is kept new because of it. I enjoy it and I don't buy a new car every year.
Lucas 4:52PM (9/17/2007)
1) What does that have to do with the price of eggs? I bet Trump spends the same on toilet paper as everyone else does.
2) If you're in the income bracket I think you're suggesting you are then my theory is that you are inherently less of a risk taker than the aforementioned pilots and less likely to have an accident.
All I said was that rich playboy old money brats are more likely to crash private planes.
JFK Jr. being the perfect example.
Richard 9:07AM (9/17/2007)
Well, I pretty much figure that you have to be rich to afford your own aircraft in the first place and, frequently, famous people are rich. So the odds are, I suspect, that private aircraft failures are more likely to involve the R and F moreso than commercial aircraft maladies...and the press will report duly.
It is a shame about McRae. He was really mellowing into a great guy, I thought, after having been a phenomenal rally driver.
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vectorbug 9:10AM (9/17/2007)
Could have really lived without the opinion piece at the end there.
Still sad about McRae.
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Dave 10:59AM (9/17/2007)
There are plenty of accidents involving people who arent famous. Accident investigation reports are published on the web. Do a search here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/query.asp
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Dave 11:00AM (9/17/2007)
(thats in the USA, BTW)
Idunno about elsewhere.
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Takeo 11:36AM (9/17/2007)
And look at all the famous pilots who haven't been in major accidents:
Morgan Freeman,
John Travolta (holder of an Airline Transport Cert)
Harrison Ford
Tom Cruise
Micheal Dorn
Among others. Statisitcally driving a car is much more dangerous, should we make all celebrities get drivers too?
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Mike 12:03PM (9/17/2007)
Actually Harrison Ford has been in a helicopter accident. During his training they landed and rolled during an autorotation.
http://www.airsafe.com/events/celebs/ford.htm
NTSB Identification: LAX00LA024
Operator: AG Aviation
Date: 23 October 1999
Location: near Santa Clarita, CA
Aircraft: Bell 206-L4, registration: N36R
Strongbadinator 11:44AM (9/17/2007)
Jesus christ. You'd think he'd avoid the helicopter for a while after McRae's crash.
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ermax18 12:13PM (9/17/2007)
HAHAHA.. Did you even read the article be for posting this comment? Both accidents happened within hours.
Warren 11:41AM (9/17/2007)
Having been a professional helicopter pilot for 10 years, It's not about being famous or rich... It is about staying current. If you fly part time no matter your income status or fame, you are not as sharp as someone who does it every day. If nothing goes wrong you are pretty much fine. But a helicopter will bite you in the ass big time if you fly it only once in a while.
Also, keep in mind that sometimes accidents happen no matter your level of experience. Helicopters are very safe and an excellent mode of transport, but they do require you to be "on point" when you are flying. I have no idea of Colin's level of experience. I do know that he is probably much smarter than you or I know. Sometimes crap just happens.
As for JFK jr. Well he was just a freekin' hammer! He was an example of a big ego... little brain. But the press was afraid to say anything negative about him.
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Barney 4:52PM (9/17/2007)
I'll leave the Helicopter flying to you Warren. If it don't have fixed wings I'll only fly with a pro like yourself. * Were you at Oshkosh this year?
Knuckle Dragger 6:59PM (9/17/2007)
I called my dealer and he said the Rogue will come out by Oct 1. I am not sure where the author got his info but now I feel like a fool.
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