Cave diver pulled to surface barely alive - Eagle's Nest

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/02/Hernando/Better_access_urged_f.shtml

I wonder if the old roads to Eagle's Nest can be improved for emergency access. It's a lot shorter to come in off of county road 550.

[MikeH]

Unfortunately, the helicopter could have likely gotten into the parking lot there at the Nest, but the driving factor here is insurance requirements. Bayflite flies BK117 helicopters, which have a rotor span of approximately 36ft and require a total distance of approximately 40'x45' to land in. I'm pretty damn sure they could easily put one down in the parking area, facing toward the big green sign. I've put larger helos into smaller areas. As I said, though....insurance is the driving factor here. It's pretty unfortunate.

If they were to clear an area, and possibly even pave a helipad, right next to the parking area.....insurance(and sometimes the operators SOP's) would require that trained(by them) personnel be on the ground to advise the pilot of any hazards. Of course, as a pilot, this is a sensitive subject. I want somebody on the ground, whenever I'm landing in a tight area, to tell me about any hazards I may not be able to see easily....but at the same time, I recognize the severe limitations that places on my operations, and how it destroys the benefits of a helicopter in many instances.

I think the best thing to do would be to improve and open the road that Chip mentioned. Hopefully this is the direction that they decide to go.

Mike

[CaptainSpeleo]

I agree. The previous 3-mile road from S.R. 50 is a heck of a lot shorter and easier to drive than the current 11-mile road from U.S. 19.