Russell McMahon wrote:
> Not a pilot.
> A few quick comments.
>
> Seems like TECH for now.
>
> Wire strike is liable to be a greater hazard than known objects. Especially
> so across valleys etc. LIDAR has been/is used by some for wire detection.
> People have been known to string wires across valleys without requisite
> approval. Helicopters have been lost to wire strike.
>   
I have see numerous wires strung between mountains that were easily high 
enough to legally fly well below their height. A real concern when 
flying in hilly terrain. Many times indicated on visual charts (IFR and 
visual charts show rectangles of minimum safe altitudes that should be 
OK). It's when mountain tops are obscured by low clouds and flying down 
a valley (forward visibility may not be that good either) to get to 
better weather is the hazard. helicopters can fly slowly, our plane had 
a minimum speed of 100 mph, and started to get comfortable at 120 mph. 
that's 176 feet/second.  And at that speed in a valley it takes a lot of 
space to do a 180 degree turn. Good practice is to fly along the ridge 
on the upwind side of the valley.
> Almost unrelated: Worst case long ago NZ lost about 25% of all its
> helicopters in 1 year !!!!!!!!!!! - due to a frenzied peak in the wild deer
> recovery industry with many cowboys, a certain amount of gunfire (few
> losses) and a willingness to fly Robinson R22's and similar way way outside
> their envelopes.
>
> Ballistic parachutes are fitted to many small craft and have saved many
> lives. Balloons would seem to have few advantages for difficulties provided.
>
>   
Only one production aircraft comes with a chute, the Cirrus SR-22, and a 
far as I know, only a couple of those have been used in actual 
emergency. The Cessna 172 has a STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) for 
a chute that allows adding to a plane. The sport plane and ultralight 
area has many, but a lot of those incidences are caused by poorly 
trained, inexperienced pilots with (I won't call them aircraft) vehicles 
of the air that are not airworthy . They do not have the construction  
or maintenance quality control of a certified aircraft. In the USA, all 
you need is a  valid automobile driver's license, and a minimum 
training. There are no medical exams, not unusual for an elderly pilot 
to transition to sport planes if he thinks he is going to flunk the 
every 2 year physical. I believe that if one can't meet the private 
pilot physical, that is saying, there is a good reason, might even give 
thought to the issues of driving. I have standards that there are pilots 
I won't fly with, and planes I won't fly in. And their are pilots and 
planes that I would trust anytime.

Here's the link to the parachute manufacturer.

http://brsparachutes.com/brs_aviation_home.aspx
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