Konrad Geissler: Competition in Belarus was a black day

Yesterday’s tragedy near Minsk is commented by the head of the German Helicopter Club Konrad Geissler.

The show in Belarus has become a black day for German pilot Guenter Zimmer and his wife, a Vitsebsk dweller Iryna Harelysheva, he said in an interview to BelaPAN.

As said by him, Guenter Zimmer had been a member of the national helicopter team of Germany for 20 years, he had taken part in all 12 German championships held during in these years, and 6 world championships.

“Zimmer is a very experienced and careful pilot, and as a married man, he didn’t intend to risk. He had a wife and a little son Sasha, to whom he had dedicated free time in his native town of Dinslaken with great pleasure,” Geissler said.

He also said that the club had not received any requests related to the tragedy from Minsk. In this connection Geissler noted that there are no experts in the club that would be able to take part in the investigation.

As said by Geissler, Zimmer was in his own helicopter Hughes 500. “He was physically fit, a real devotee. He flew not helicopters only, bur planes as well; he took part in competitions abroad at his own expense – in Belarus, Spain, Russia, France, Sweden,” said the colleague of the killed pilot.

We remind that on August 8 at about 4 p.m. at a stunt show during the CIS Open Cup in Helicopter Sport near Belarusian capital Minsk at Baravaya airfield when Guenter Zimmer, 74, performed an oblique loop and crashed. He died immediately.

The investigation is carried out by the Belarusian Military Prosecutor’s Office. A special commission is being created for investigation of the reasons and details of the catastrophe.