A thought for Mark Weirs Family

[Terminator]

Hi one and all.
As day break broke this morning the lake district awoke to the tragic news that Mark Weir the owner of Honister slate mine has tragically been killed whilst piloting his helicopter when returning home from working in the slate mine. This has nothing to do with anything Bluebird related only that I saw Mark Weir in the same vein as our Billy boy. Mark Weir would take on the powers that be in the lake district and authorities and win through even though people said "it could not be done" or "you can't do that". I would often read or watch when ever he was in the media as he was quite a character and had such tremendous get up and go as well as vision. I have visited Honister slate mine with Greg on two previous occasions and intend going again,what Mark Weir achieved there was nothing short of Fantastic. Please Spare a thought for his Family and those left behind at this tragic time as we did when the Bluebird project lost Carl Spencer in 2009.

It often worried me when our own Bill was zooming around in that Helicopter thing of his and what would happen to the project if something should ever happen!! And not just from a selfish point of view if you follow me. You never know whats just around the next corner, so I personally have always lived for today.

Our sincerest sympathies and Heart felt condolences go to Marks Weirs Family.
He will be sadly missed.

Novie Dzinora and Greg Dzinora

[Renegadenemo]

Bugger... there but for the grace of God, etc. Such a shame. I didn't know the bloke but I'd heard of him but it's his family we ought to be thinking of now, what a tragic loss.

[Terminator]

A tragic loss indeed Bill and you of all people will know how easy it is to be caught out by the strange turbulent/thermal air etc. I recall you mentioning it once on one of your little adventures up at Glennriding. I would not know one type of Helicopter from another and neither their flight safety record but the night it happened 8th March the winds were very high indeed and you will understand it better than anybody as news comes out of what caused the crash within sight of his own mine. His helicopter flying over head was instantly recognizable in that Green colour, not to everybody's taste but there you go. I hope the Aerial line he was trying to get through the powers that be gets done eventually and I'm off to sign the petition they have on the Honister Slate mine website. A great day out for the family and the Via Feratta is well worth doing.

A tragic Loss to the Area but more importantly his Family.

Novie

[Renegadenemo]

It's considered bad form to speculate on an air accident until the facts are in but given a combination of high winds, as reported by Novie, and a 7.00pm takeoff in darkness it would take seconds to get out of shape, lose visual reference and go back in with a bang. Maybe a case of press-on-itis after a long day but tragic nonetheless.
The moment I had flying into Glenridding involved turning south onto the last reach of Ullswater and flying smack-bang into a cell of mist and drizzle. I was in it before I could do anything about it - such is Lake District weather - and I distinctly remember Rachel's voice in my headset saying, "Is it safe?" "of course it's not safe!" I said whilst using trees outside my window as the only visual clue I had to keep the machine the right way up. I was flying a cruising descent at the time so maintaining that rate would bring us onto the grass behind the hotel and I could manage the descent on instruments but there's often saily boats moored there and I was terrified of crashing into a mast. I got away with that too and made a safe landing and shutdown but it could all have been very different. Like I say - there but for the grace of God go I...

[ted.walsh]

Likewise, I never knew Mark personally but I knew he was a bit of a rebel and I liked him for that if nothing else. He was particularly good at rubbing the authority and their fiends up the wrong way, also a desirable trait in my opinion.
Mark had been involved for a few years with a paragliding event run by the Cumbria Soaring Club (yes I know unpowered but...) of which I am a member. Last year he used his Gazelle to fly a fellow pilot up to 10,000 ft. for an attempt on the world paraglider loop attempt. Fortunately for us the whole attempt and Mark for that matter was captured on video as Felix the paraglider stunt man does his thing. The late machinery also features.
I think it is a good vid that captures the whole scene very well, sadly the CAA did not quite see it that way and fined Mark £400 for allowing someone to leave his aircraft without a permit. The rest as they say is history.
Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0yCTShI ... r_embedded

[Terminator]

Aye Ted he was in the news only in January for that one I recall when he was fined by the aviation authorities for allowing the guy to exit his Helicopter. That's why I also think Bill and Mark are of the same vein and have that unique talent of getting things done. Or as you put it rubbing the authorities/powers that be up the wrong way. He was very well liked as the site has been swamped with people paying tribute to what he had achieved.

Novie
" I've gone"

[Renegadenemo]

I never had anyone want to jump out of the aircraft but we came very close to a bombing mission over the centre of Newcastle with advertising material printed on small, circular pieces of paper. We reckoned on a calm day we could have covered most of the city. Don't recall why that plan was canned but I'd certainly have done it.
Dropping a man out of a Gazelle from 10,000ft is quite a feat of flying. It's very difficult to pull the airspeed back to zero and get into a hover so far from the ground because hovering requires constant attention based on visual reference and in that case the references were a long way down. Then the aircraft was up in thin air where the rotors aren't as efficient or responsive to control inputs and that's without the horrendous and instant shift in weight and balance when the passenger let go. I'd not like to try flying that one!

[Terminator]

I never had anyone want to jump out of the aircraft"

That's probably only because there ain't no traffic lights in the sky

Novie
"Let me out of here "

[Renegadenemo]

We did almost crash into the fuel bowser at Carlisle because I'd left the dual controls in then hover-taxied downwind towards it only to find that Alain's fat gut had robbed me of all my aft cyclic authority when the duals landed amid his blubber. All I could do was dump it on the tarmac and let it grind to a standstill with the blades whisking past the fuel hoses atop the bowser. I wish he'd jumped out that day!

Just happened across this pic today whilst looking for something. It's a shot out the cockpit window of the lake road on the north shore of Ullswater as we approached to land.

Ullswater Approach.jpg

[Terminator]

Also today mark's the fourth anniversary of the sad passing of Mark Weir owner of Honister Slate Mine! He tragically lost his life whilst flying his beloved Gazelle Helicopter home from work during severe weather back in 2011. Greg and I visited the mine today and had our usual Paninies which were most excellent accompanied with tomato and spicy pepper soup and a Mug of tea to boot Great to catch up with Roland but sadly Monica who serves the delicious food is leaving to further her career. Joe Mark's Brother busying away as ever. Great to see the Mine is still going strong and I would highly recommend one of its tours or Via Ferrata Extreme's, well worth a visit at any time of year for all ages.

As Mark once said "Live like a Tiger for one day instead of a mouse for the rest of your life" What a buzz it is to climb safely up,the outside of a mountain and reach the summit at Fleetwith Pike. The Zip Wire was going when Greg and I did the Via Ferrata but sadly due to Natural England and the so called Friends of the lake District its no longer there
Its an Awesome place
Novie