There are very few civil helos that require type ratings. The S92 and Boeing 234 (Chinook) come to mind, and maybe the bigger AW and Eurocopters. There would be very few opportunities for type ratings in these aircraft.

Zobayan had Comm helo, instrument helo, and helo CFII. The only apple missing is ATP. IMHO, his times would be considered quite acceptable for his job. I am sorry I cannot recall where I read the breakdown on his total time (8200), helo time, and time in type.

Are autopilots common in helos? Or even more specifically in the S76? As a guy who has never even ridden in a helo, I genuinely don’t know. Just wondering if that capability is there to help out in single pilot situations like this?

Also I agree with someone else that the pressure of getting to the basketball game will likely be a major factor. That even may have been what drove the decision to not file IFR.

He couldn't file instruments because the company operating cert. was VFR only.

I don't know if the S76B is approved for single-pilot IFR. Help, anybody?

Reading a rotor forum, they say that the S76B can be flown single pilot IFR with the proper FUNCTIONING autopilot and company certification. They say most rotor guys in the LA area fly I Follow Roads.

This answers SO many questions. I'm hopeful it will result in some changes. The corporate helicopter world sounds a lot like pre-regulation day airplane barnstorming days.

I think it will... they couldn't have come up with a better way to get the eye of mordor glaring at them if they had tried to.

Here's how it goes down in most CFIT accidents:

AIrcraft is running in the obscuration and can't see more than a few hundred feet ahead, if that. Maybe even trying to let down. They think they are in a safe corridor or area, but when the vis is low it plays all sorts of tricks and you don't realize you are not quite where you think you are. Suddenly, a mountain/hill approaches right in front. They pull back for all they are worth, gaining altitude, but it's not quite enough and they crash just below the top of the mountain/ridge/hill. More than a few have skipped off the front side (just below the top) to tumble down the backside. It happens too fast due to their forward speed. It's usually not a climbing maneuver because they "entered IMC". It's a last-ditch climbing maneuver because cumulus-granite appeared right in front.

^^^^ except for the part about the 2000 fpm descent right before impact.

FYI, for those asking, AOPA is reporting that the pilot had 1250 time in type...

When flying a helo in IMC, what is the minimum forward speed you can maintain?

I was speaking generically, but yes. I was considering adding this and talking about the specific accident more. Definitely can't rule out mechanical.