Who cares? If a helicopter could reach the summit, I would take a helicopter. More people should drive to the north pole, too.
It seems that roughly 1% of people who attempt the summit die in the process; there are hundreds of bodies simply left on the mountain as it's too risky to retrieve them.
There's every chance that this approach will lead to more fatalities as it will increase the proportion of inexperienced, unskilled climbers attempting the summit, with less opportunity for those unsuited for very high altitudes to pull out before dying.
Its not like theyre being forced to go climb mount everest.
They could go do bungie jumping or cliff diving, driving fast, etc.
I feel like I've heard of some guys that did a 12 week program to prepare them, but don't recall the outcome. You certainly can't fake a lifetime of strong cardio fitness.
If you build up to climbing Everest more gradually you find this out in places and at altitudes where you can be saved.
That said, Everest is an extremely dangerous place even for experienced mountaineers, though it's not the most dangerous . The second highest peak, K2, is so dangerous that roughly one person dies for every eight or so who reach the summit.
Full reveal; they fly around searching for a big enough floe, parachute engineers and equipment in to build an airfield, or rather 2 or more, since invariably the ice cracks. I saw a major crack less than 2-3 yards away from my tent, when I woke up and walked out... erk.
I wonder how you'd do that experience now?