http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/t...led-in-wanaka-crash/

I hope this does not affect any of our AR friends. I know of one lady pilot with AR connections but I suspect she is less than 52.

I was flying around Wanaka in May. Didnt see any Robinsons but plenty of Squirels and JR's. Beautiful country. Condolences to the lady's family.

Bad news, as always, and food for thought for anyone who takes chopper lifts into the back country.

I used to know a pilot who swore that helicopters could not just fall out of the sky; that they would always drift down in some way analogous with a winged aircraft gliding - sounds like he was mistaken.

Gliding has to do with the rotar weight, small ones don't glide well

Confirmed that it was the local flying instructer & not an AR member's wife.

Still a loss of a member of the community and prayers sent for the family.