Great Lakes Helicopter mourning the loss of a “great friend”
Posted Nov 29, 2011 02:16:55 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Great Lakes Helicopter has identified the flight instructor killed in Monday’s helicopter crash near Breslau.
29-year-old Tiffany Hanna was killed.
Great Lakes released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:
“We are saddened and shocked by the loss of flight instructor, Tiffany Hanna who did not survive the accident,” said Jo Anne Leyburne, General Manager of Great Lakes Helicopter. “Tiffany was more than just an employee, she was a great friend and confidante. We have all lost a dear member of the Great Lakes family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all families and friends at this difficult time.”
A memorial trust fund will be set up for Tiffany’s immediate surviving family.
The information will be posted on the Great Lakes website next week.
Meantime, the manufacturer of the helicopter that crashed just after take off at the Region of Waterloo International Airport has been called in to help with the investigation by the Transportation Safety Board.
Ewan Tasker, a Regional Senior Investigator with the Transportation Safety Board says the helicopter had taken off, when just minutes into flight, it crashed hard into a storm water pond on the airport’s property, “After reaching an approximate altitude of 300 feet, on departure, they encountered some sort of problem. We’re unsure exactly as to what yet. And shortly thereafter, the aircraft descended and landed very hard in a swamp area.”
Tasker adds, they’re not sure who was in charge of the chopper when it went down, “The purpose of being a student of course is to learn to fly the helicopter, so that individual was in charge, we believe, at least upon the early stages. If they do encounter some sort of problem, often the instructor will take over, so it’s likely that may have happened, but we can’t conclude anything at this time.”
“No, there was no distress call, the events unfolded pretty quickly as we understand it, so there may not have been enough time for a distress call. The control tower watches aircraft as they take off, so they did witness it,” adds Tasker
The next step is for the manufacturer of the helicopter and its engine to weigh in on the investigation.
Meanwhile, the head of the Helicopter Association of Canada says chopper crashes are on the decline in this country.
President and CEO, Fred Jones tells 570 News that despite crashes like the one yesterday in Breslau, helicopters are very safe. “Our safety record in Canada, in the helicopter industry, compares very favourably to virtually all of the developed countries,” he explains.
Jones adds that there have been a number of safety initiatives put into place by the association and the industry. “Those efforts are bearing fruit,” he says. “Anytime an accident happens, it’s tragic, but they don’t happen very often.”
The helicopter involved in Monday’s crash was a Robinson R-22, which Jones says is a popular and well regarded model across North America. They’re used widely in the training market as well as aerial survey and pipeline and power line patrol.
When it comes to safety regulations for choppers, Jones says they’re much like the regulations in place for airplanes. There is a graduated licensing system for anyone wanting to pilot a helicopter. He says it includes, “a whole series of exercises that must be accomplished to a minimum proficiency standard for you to get a private licence.”
Jones adds that there are even higher training standards for pilots who want to fly commercially or for training purposes.
The family will receive friends at the Brock and Visser Funeral Home, 845 Devonshire Avenue in Woodstock on Thursday, December 1st from 7:00-9:00pm.
The complete service will be held in the chapel on Friday at 11:00am.
