HAI on Thursday, May 30, announced the date and time for its first-ever auditor training class for the new HAI Accreditation Program of Safety (HAI-APS). Building on internationally accepted safety standards for business aviation, the accreditation program uses mission-specific criteria to ensure that a helicopter operator flies to a higher standard of safety, meeting not only the business aviation standards, but also standards that are related specifically to the type of flying the operator does.

The first HAI-APS auditor training course will be held on Thursday, June 20, 2013, in the new HAI headquarters, located at 1920 Ballenger Avenue in Alexandria, Va. This no-cost course is mandatory for individuals interested in becoming HAI-APS auditors.

The HAI Accreditation Program of Safety is built and expands upon the International Business Aviation Council’s (IBAC) International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO). Prospective HAI-APS auditors must first be accredited as an IS-BAO auditor. For those who do not yet hold IS-BAO auditor status, HAI will host IBAC at its new headquarters, where IBAC will present its Fundamentals of IS-BAO workshop on Tuesday, June 18, and IS-BAO Auditor Accreditation Workshop on Wednesday, June 19. Register directly with IBAC, which does charge a fee for these two courses.

Auditors who already hold IS-BAO accreditation need only attend the HAI course on June 20.

The safety considerations for helicopter operators conducting long-line external load flights are significantly different than for those conducting over-water oil platform transportation flights. The HAI Accreditation Program of Safety helps all participating helicopter operators fly to a higher standard of safety by addressing their specific situations.

HAI anticipates that the first audits will be conducted later in 2013.