A pilot is captured in alarming footage, shouting at a tourist who attempted to manipulate an essential helicopter lever during a flight over the Grand Canyon. This TikTok video has gained immense popularity, accumulating more than 2.7 million views since its recent posting on June 7th. The video depicts a tourist reaching for a lever, prompting the pilot to shout 'NO' repeatedly, while emphasizing the life-threatening nature of the situation. In the video, the pilot can be observed swiftly grabbing the tourist's wrists as she reaches for the lever situated in the center of the cabin. He urgently warns her, saying, "No! That action could lead to our demise!"
Accompanied by the overlay text stating, "Tourist decides to grab lever during Grand Canyon flight," the video has garnered an extensive array of comments from individuals eager to express their reactions to this harrowing brush with death captured on camera.
One TikTok user remarked, "It astounds me how many civilians disregard the simple childhood rule of 'if you don't know, don't touch it'."
A second commenter attributed this behavior to the mentality of "I paid $5000 for this ride, so I'll do whatever I want."
A third individual pondered, "How do people manage to navigate through life?" One viewer, as the fourth person, expressed a similar sentiment, stating, "Just imagine how that individual functions in their everyday life..."
Many individuals asserted that they would have immediately canceled the flight if they were in the pilot's position. One commenter remarked, "No way, the tour would end right then and there."
Another person strongly criticized the incident, saying, "Back to the landing pad immediately, without any refund."
Several users seized the opportunity to emphasize the significance of refraining from pulling the lever. A TikTok user explained, "That lever is the rotor brake, like the parking lock in cars, used to secure the rotors when the aircraft is parked."
Another individual provided clarification, stating, "The lever is the rotor brake lever, which functions as a locking mechanism for the rotors when the aircraft is stationary." "Engaging it while in flight would cause the helicopter to plummet rapidly, akin to a falling rock."
Oh dear.
The individual who initially shared the concise video, spanning only eight seconds, has recently provided an update on the matter via the platform.
In response to the query, "Why is she seated in the co-pilot's seat?" posed earlier today (8 June), the TikToker has offered some additional clarification.
The overlay text displayed in the video stated: "Apologies, I assumed there was a warning sign affixed to the side of the lever, as internet pictures featured a 'do not touch' warning."
Well, it appears that we have now obtained precise knowledge regarding what should be strictly avoided when occupying the front seat of a helicopter in the future...
