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CAA Report: ‘Rapid’ progress improves offshore helicopter safety

By Vertical Mag | January 30, 2015

Estimated reading time 3 minutes, 30 seconds.


Helideck certification, flight crew training standards, helicopter design, and maintenance are among the areas CAA identified as needing further development. Heath Moffatt Photo

Despite “substantial and important progress” on measures to improve safety in the offshore helicopter industry, more work remains to be done, according to a new report from the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The report is part of an assessment of how well the industry has implemented the recommendations made in the CAA’s comprehensive safety review of offshore operations in support of the oil-and-gas industry, published in February 2014.

And while it recognizes that efforts have been made to standardize pilot training, establish stakeholder groups, implement a new passenger breathing system, as well as other measures, it said faster progress could be made on longer-term improvements relating to airworthiness certification.

“In certain areas, progress has been rapid — as it needed to be — to increase survivability and mitigate risks where it was comparatively simple to do so,” the report states. “In other areas, progress thus far has consisted mostly of building the evidence base to inform further action.”

In particular, it highlighted helideck certification, flight crew training standards, helicopter design, and maintenance as areas that would need to be addressed to achieve longer-term safety goals. “Change in these areas will take time, not only to agree with other interested parties but also to have a tangible effect,” the report states.

The progress report identifies 32 actions and 29 recommendations in various stages of completion. Among the items marked as finished is new guidance on safety training; the halting of flights during extreme sea conditions; an improved emergency breathing system (EBS) for every passenger; and the formation of HeliOffshore, an organization that seeks to improve flight safety and advance technical competence. In addition, the Offshore Helicopter Safety Action Group (OHSAG), which includes union, CAA and industry representatives, is serving as a “catalyst for increased dialogue” among operators, regulators and manufacturers, according to Mark Swan, CAA’s director of safety and airspace regulation.

The next items on the CAA’s priority list include certification of U.K. helidecks, review of communications and air traffic control, and reviewing pilot training materials with approved training organizations. Several actions to improve safety will be addressed as part of the European Aviation Safety Agency’s Rule Making Task (RMT.0120), which is scheduled for draft publication in June 2015, followed by an industry review, with final rule changes expected in June 2016.

The CAA said it hopes the momentum built through the safety review process will continue, as closer working relationships could lead to “a stronger safety culture across the offshore helicopter industry.” In practice, that would translate to more consistent maintenance practices, a rigorous approach to training and increased communication.

“Such change of course depends on sustained engagement from helicopter operators, manufacturers and the industry,” Swan wrote.

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