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Europe’s helicopter industry facing multiple challenges, EHA chairman says

By Thierry Dubois | October 4, 2016

Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 10 seconds.

The European helicopter industry is facing a growing number of challenges caused by the economy and regulation, according to European Helicopter Association (EHA) chairman Jaime Arqué.

“Our industry is not passing its best time,” Arqué told Vertical in an interview ahead of the upcoming Helitech International expo and conference. He first referred to the predicament of oil-and-gas operators in the North Sea. Due to low oil prices, little exploration — if any — is taking place. CHC Group has been the most notable casualty. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May this year, allowing it to return aircraft to leasing companies — thus also affecting airframer deliveries, Arqué noted. Exacerbating the situation, much of the global Airbus H225 fleet remains grounded after a fatal crash in April. The investigators are still looking for a root cause.

For those smaller companies offering charter flight, the economy has not been favorable either, Arqué asserted.

As a lobbying group, EHA has been striving to defend operators unhappy with existing rules. The so-called “age 60” rule prevents a pilot over the age of 59 from flying in single-pilot operations for commercial air transport — including for emergency medical services (EMS). The problem, Arqué said, is helicopter EMS operators need such seasoned professionals.

“There is no clear scientific demonstration [to prove that] sudden incapacitation is more likely from [the age of] 60; why not establish a method to medically recognize that a pilot is fit?” he suggested. Flying single-pilot for aerial work is allowed beyond the age of 59.

Another controversial European Aviation Safety Agency rule highlighted by Arqué is the operating restriction on single-engine helicopters. Strictly enforced since October 2014, it prohibits single-engine helicopter flights above densely populated and other “hostile” areas. “Eighty percent of European operators have less than five aircraft and most are singles,” Arqué pointed out.

However, the organization has enjoyed some success with Sesar, Europe’s next-generation air traffic management. “We have been recognized as airspace users,” Arqué said.

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