NASCAR driver and family in plane crash

MikeD said:
Called freelancing. And whether disaster relief, a firefighting scene, or any other chaotic environment where some semblance of centralized command, control, and asset accountability is trying to be maintained, freelancing is highly frowned upon. Check in with the incident commander, see where that person wants assets staged to pull from if not being used already, and work within the system in place, assuming that has been established. Work to help the problem at hand, not add to it,
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If anyone bothered to watch any of the coverage that is exactly what Biffle and McFarland did. They weren't just cowboys out there with their big boy toys. They were being dispatched by some sort of command structure (local search/rescue, LEO) to specific GPS pins to deliver specific items to people that needed them. The only reason Garret flew his helicopter up there to help was because Biffle texted him. And just because neither of them fly airliners for a living should have no bearing on peoples assumption of their skills as pilots. It might not have been a FEMA command center but that's because FEMA wasn't there yet.
 
Sad anytime, especially sad leading into Christmas. Several families are having a very different holiday now and for a while. Hug the ones you love.
 
Murdoughnut said:
Even beyond that, think about the type of men who own helicopters for private use. Statistically, they're likely not going to be people that are going to take directions or recommendations from anyone, but are likely to maintain a high propensity for savior complex. General aviation at large has that, but I think the private helicopter set is like Jerry on steroids.
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This post is full of assumptions that I'd guess are deeply rooted in some weird jealousy. How many folks do you know that own a turbine helicopter purely for private use? Where does this opinion of those people originate? "The type of men who own helicopters for private use", is that supposed to be an insult? I wonder how many women own their own helicopter for private use? Should we be cautious around them as well?
 
MikeD said:
Called freelancing. And whether disaster relief, a firefighting scene, or any other chaotic environment where some semblance of centralized command, control, and asset accountability is trying to be maintained, freelancing is highly frowned upon. Check in with the incident commander, see where that person wants assets staged to pull from if not being used already, and work within the system in place, assuming that has been established. Work to help the problem at hand, not add to it,
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On a related note, anybody can obtain FEMA certifications and qualify themselves for FEMA incident command roles. In Kentucky, KY EMA takes over within 24 hours. In Tennessee, TN EMA defers to local agencies and operates in a support role until a local agency yields.

I’ve worked a few disasters as an incident commander. Air Ops Branch is a thankless job, coordinating air assets. Herding freelancers and news helicopters is a big part of the job. Heck, finding common frequencies among CAP, Guard, and Police is a challenge. Thank god for radio geeks.
 
Very sad news… Loved watching him in the cheap RV challenger on Cleetus McFarland’s channel.

Question on the airplane, was that certified for single pilot ops?
 
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