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Negative Article on Helicopters in the Grand Canyon


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It's nice that the article blames commercial airlines for most of the noise but since they can't do anything about that, they turn to helicopters to solve the noise "problem"

 

This article came out of April's backpacker magazine. (attached)

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The efforts of small groups of activists to limit helicopter use is widespread, especially in recreation areas. Save our Canyons in SLC Utah, is a good example of self righteous hippies who believe they alone are the keepers and rightful beneficiaries of natural beauty. They file this lawsuit every year, with a different complaint or argument every time. Save our Canyons They seem stunned every time the Forest Service sides with Powderbirds because it has been proven that the wasatch golden eagle population is more affected by earthbound recreationalists disturbing their prey than an A-Star, or that Powderbirds avalanche testing saves the lives of the people suing them and avalanche control saves millions of dollars in canyon property and keeps UDOT roads open. Powderbirds also provides instant emergency avalanche response with highly experience guides and this season found and rescued a lost 14 year old boy who would otherwise probably have died. Just like Coyote said, they hate us until they need us, typical for a bunch of hippies. Backcountry skiing in Utah is a life changing experience for many people and SOC thinks it should only be experienced by those enabled by youth, strength, and experience. Enviromental extremists are motivated by a smugness that will cause them to continue these actions, along with filing false reports of irresponsible pilotage and even vandalizing helis on the pad. Everyone who has a passion for helicopters, pilot or not, should become a member of Helicopter Assoc. Internt'l to help fight these people...they're sure putting up an organized fight against us.

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The efforts of small groups of activists to limit helicopter use is widespread, especially in recreation areas. Save our Canyons in SLC Utah, is a good example of self righteous hippies who believe they alone are the keepers and rightful beneficiaries of natural beauty. They file this lawsuit every year, with a different complaint or argument every time. Save our Canyons They seem stunned every time the Forest Service sides with Powderbirds because it has been proven that the wasatch golden eagle population is more affected by earthbound recreationalists disturbing their prey than an A-Star, or that Powderbirds avalanche testing saves the lives of the people suing them and avalanche control saves millions of dollars in canyon property and keeps UDOT roads open. Powderbirds also provides instant emergency avalanche response with highly experience guides and this season found and rescued a lost 14 year old boy who would otherwise probably have died. Just like Coyote said, they hate us until they need us, typical for a bunch of hippies. Backcountry skiing in Utah is a life changing experience for many people and SOC thinks it should only be experienced by those enabled by youth, strength, and experience. Enviromental extremists are motivated by a smugness that will cause them to continue these actions, along with filing false reports of irresponsible pilotage and even vandalizing helis on the pad. Everyone who has a passion for helicopters, pilot or not, should become a member of Helicopter Assoc. Internt'l to help fight these people...they're sure putting up an organized fight against us.

 

 

Well said! I have often gone up against the granola crowd on other issues (offroad vehicles, logging, etc.) They are elitist snobs who believe they are the only ones who should be allowed to enjoy the backcountry. They are also the same ones who think only the police should be allowed to have guns.

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Well said! I have often gone up against the granola crowd on other issues (offroad vehicles, logging, etc.) They are elitist snobs who believe they are the only ones who should be allowed to enjoy the backcountry. They are also the same ones who think only the police should be allowed to have guns.

 

+1

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i see the Mr witherspoon is one of these people who spend their treehugging time filing suits against operations creating higher costs in what we do and causing people to loose their jobs, waste the courts time and our dollars.

Sir you are not welcome in my book

 

http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/profile....profile&u=1000&

 

tread lightly

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I highly suggest that you take your arse down to the local airfield and take yourself an intro flight in an R22 or S300 to find out what it is that we on this site drives us to do what we do.

 

Until then do not come here with bombastic comments of sueing over where we can or cannot fly. :angry:

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Unless you meant just "take a ride in a heli", in which case I'm covered.

 

And I hadn't even got started with the bombast!

 

NO i'm not talking about taking a tourist flight, i'm talking about being at the controls under supervision and realizing that this is not some joy ride taken buy paying tourist but the fact you're responsable for those lives.

 

your presious canyons have never been at risk of anything other than an over fly of something you have no understanding about. until you understand both sides of the line you are not at liberty to voice an opion on a professional level.

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your presious canyons have never been at risk of anything other than an over fly of something you have no understanding about. until you understand both sides of the line you are not at liberty to voice an opion on a professional level.

 

 

Thats not what they're really concerned about Nov. They just hate us for tacking up the powder. its pretty simple, and shallow.

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your presious canyons have never been at risk of anything other than an over fly of something you have no understanding about. until you understand both sides of the line you are not at liberty to voice an opion on a professional level.

Hmm. Guess this aren't a professional speling and gramar site. :P (Chill! Its' not worht bloweing an aretery!)

 

The thread you were looking for at TTips is here. If bombast is more to your taste, you'll like this one better.

 

Don't know if you care, but your brothers in rotors are doing more than just a few flybys. Buzzing people at 20 feet overhead (yes, the FAA and USFS have the reports on file, the pilots have been "advised"), landing within 40' of people on ridges, hucking bombs in heavily travelled areas & triggering mega-avalanches that rip out acres of trees - all for their convenience, not necessity nor safety.

 

Fortunately they haven't killed anyone. Yet. But I ain't waitin' around for it. Hope that's ok with you.

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This paragraph paragraph may be getting far afield, if that's what you're mulling, dave, but I seriously doubt the issues discussed on this forum are of any concern to you and your granola eating, emu fornicating ilk. Here's an idea; file suit against the trees for the awful pollen in utah this spring and go back to googling your misguided organization.

 

P.S. Get in any good turns in the Wasatch this year or did the helis and kids scare you off to the Uintas?

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Don't know if you care, but your brothers in rotors are doing more than just a few flybys. Buzzing people at 20 feet overhead (yes, the FAA and USFS have the reports on file, the pilots have been "advised"), landing within 40' of people on ridges, hucking bombs in heavily travelled areas & triggering mega-avalanches that rip out acres of trees - all for their convenience, not necessity nor safety.

 

Fortunately they haven't killed anyone. Yet. But I ain't waitin' around for it. Hope that's ok with you.

 

this is a prime example of the lack of professional knowledge on your part, all flights are approve by the FAA for the specific task. it seeems too many people are not heeding the info provided for a particual event that is to be completed by a said flight.

 

avalanch control has been an issue long before you were born so it is not something that you're an expert at.

 

trees grow back and that's a fact of nature if you've not figured that out then you really need to wake up and smell the coffee or does that offend you too.

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This paragraph paragraph may be getting far afield, if that's what you're mulling, dave, but I seriously doubt the issues discussed on this forum are of any concern to you and your granola eating, emu fornicating ilk. Here's an idea; file suit against the trees for the awful pollen in utah this spring and go back to googling your misguided organization.

 

P.S. Get in any good turns in the Wasatch this year or did the helis and kids scare you off to the Uintas?

:lol:

I wuz purty scairt of the helos, so I've given up on some of your favorite meadow skipping terrain (but wait'll next year ...). No close encounters for me this year; though I'll be damned if I can figure out why you'd buzz people for moguls on Patsey. :rolleyes:

I'm coming to terms with the kidz (even put one on training heels this spring) and the pollen's finally tapering off ... corn has been good for the last few weeks, hope you're enjoying it.

 

As for the topics discussed here ... I have a passing interest in the use of flagging tape at LZs, but I also generally respond to the sullying of my good cause. :P

 

 

Nov - I'm aware of the FAA's view of the Wasatch heli-ops. They (and the USFS) would rather not hear about it. Too bad for them - from the sound of it, there's some new pilots & guides thet needs breakin' in. :D

 

Be careful of calling it "avalanche control" - they don't want to admit that's what they're doing. :P And next time I run into one of those avy control experts, I'll be sure to remind them that avy control has been an issue long before they were born - so it is not something they're expert at.

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Be careful of calling it "avalanche control" - they don't want to admit that's what they're doing. :P And next time I run into one of those avy control experts, I'll be sure to remind them that avy control has been an issue long before they were born - so it is not something they're expert at.
So instead of coming in with a civil tone and rational manner to try and explain your side of the story and why you are suing you decided to ride your pompous self in on your high horse and proceed to do nothing but reply to others' comments in a highly condescending and snide manner?

 

 

charming, to say the least.

 

It's enough to make a person type out a fairly large run on sentence.

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Guest rookie101
I highly suggest that you take your arse down to the local airfield and take yourself an intro flight in an R22 or S300 to find out what it is that we on this site drives us to do what we do.

 

Until then do not come here with bombastic comments of sueing over where we can or cannot fly. :angry:

 

67, this person will never ever, in their petty and annoying lifetime, be able to realize the love and desire we have for this business.

 

 

Dang. Steep price of admission! (Unless you meant just "take a ride in a heli", in which case I'm covered.)

 

And I hadn't even got started with the bombast!

 

Ah, finally Mr. Witherspoon realizes something, the steep price of training to become a professional helicopter pilot. Well Mr. Witherspoon you have failed to see the other steep part of becoming a professional helicopter pilot, the 1,000 hrs. of Pilot In Charge (PIC) time necesary in both piston and turbine helicopters to become a professional helicopter pilot. Your effort sir is only going to make this harder for those pilots trying to reach this goal and harder for those already in this industry. If I recall you have also been complaining about helicopters landing too close, some 40' from people on the ground. You call this a safety hazard!!! Avalanches are a safety hazard and the people that have been setting off these avalanches are preventing people from be killed by one, your efforts will only make such conditions worse!!! An AS-350 (I am assuming on helo model) with a rotor diameter that extends to a maximum of 25' isn't a safety hazard: the owners of the helicopter companies realize this, the pilot(s) realize this and the customers realize this, why sir do you not!? Another thing while I am on this rant, to call anyone that is an experinced helicopter pilot (and all who have posted in this thread are, aside frome me) unproffesional is LAUGHABLE!!!!

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Now now boys, namecalling will get you nowhere.

 

Besides, Witherspoon has a point about the buzzing thing. Are the helos staying in the ops area? Are the hikers staying out of the ops area? Is it really 20 feet?

 

Time to eradicate embelishments, don't you think?

 

Later

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