The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) applauds the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) introduction of the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS). Developed at the recommendation of and in collaboration with NATA and other industry stakeholders, the online tool eases access to Office of Aviation Safety guidance materials through a new, centralized portal. “When it comes to safety, both speed… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Agusta A109E (G-ETPJ), localised burning in equipment bay, Boscombe Down Airfield, Wiltshire, 2 July 2020 Westland Scout AH1 (G-CIBW), loss of door window in flight, West Dean, Salisbury, Wiltshire, 17 September 2020
The National Transportation Safety Board announced Wednesday its intent to hold a public board meeting Feb. 9, 2021, 9:30 a.m. (EST), to determine the probable cause of the fatal, Jan. 26, 2020, helicopter crash near Calabasas, California. The Sikorsky S-76B helicopter collided with hilly terrain and was destroyed by impact forces and fire. The pilot and eight… Read more »
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has temporarily suspended the Certificate of Approval for Approved Training Organisation under Regulation 67 of Civil Aviation Regulations 2016 issued to MY Heli Club for a period of six months, effective 5th January 2021. This temporary suspension comes after two accidents involving three helicopters operated by MY Heli… Read more »
The team at HeliHub.com would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and we pray that 2021 sees us all with a more positive view ahead, and with the expectation of getting a COVID-19 vaccine very soon. Since HeliHub.com founder Jeremy Parkin launched the world’s first helicopter news website back in 1999, this… Read more »
While the European Union applauded the Nepal government’s firm commitment to improving its air safety mechanism, the lawmaking body—the European Commission—has questioned the issuance of air operator certificates to new Nepali carriers without sufficient compliance with international safety standards. See Full Story.
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
New Zealand helicopter operator Volcanic Air has confirmed that they are one of the 13 parties that has been charged by WorkSafe – the country’s Health & Safety watchdog – but at the stage that article was written, they had not been advised of the details. [Ed] Worksafe’s press release:- WorkSafe New Zealand today filed charges… Read more »
The Government of Canada has reached another milestone in its commitment to improving the safety of Canada’s air transportation sector by modernizing and strengthening regulations. Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Marc Garneau, announced changes to the Canadian Aviation Regulations to mandate the use of digital emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) onboard aircraft flying in Canada. The… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Robinson R44 Raven II (G-WTWT), rolled over during a precautionary landing, Herne Bay, Canterbury, Kent, 26 July 2020
A Leonardo AW109S Grand carrying a heart for transplant from Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa crashed on Friday on the rooftop helipad of Keck Hospital of USC in the Boyle Heights district of Los Angeles. Helicopter N109EX is seen in this video to be spinning just prior to touching down heavily and rolling onto its port… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- MBB-BK 117 D-2 (G-SASS), caravan roof partly lifted by helicopter downdraft, Knochenkelly, Whiting Bay, Brodick, Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire, 4 May 2020
L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) and Truth Data have signed an agreement to improve helicopter aviation safety by promoting helicopter flight data monitoring. Truth Data will utilize L3Harris’ scalable flight data analysis platform and benchmarking capabilities to enable customers to better identify safety issues and reduce risks. “Combining our two companies’ capabilities will help improve helicopter safety… Read more »
With strong support from the Chilean Association of Helicopters (ACHHEL) and dozens of experts from across the industry, the Helicopter Safety Team of Chile (HST-Chile) has been formed with a focus to reduce accidents and enhance safety. The team includes representatives from authorities, civilian and governmental helicopter operators; commercial and private pilots, etc. HST-Chile leadership… Read more »
OC Helicopters (“OCH”) has issued the following statement today in response to being named as a defendant in the lawsuits stemming from the tragic helicopter crash that took the lives of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven other cherished members of their communities. We have acted as travel agent and concierge for the Bryant family… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has taken an important step towards increasing cybersecurity protection of large aeroplanes and rotorcraft by amending the rules related to the product certification. These amendments will step up safety on board by mitigating the potential effects of cybersecurity threats which could arise through intentional unauthorised acts of interaction… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Eurocopter AS350B2 (G-PDGF), inadvertent release of underslung load, Glencoe, Argyll, Scotland, 3 March 2020
Senator Dianne Feinstein, Representative Brad Sherman (both D-Calif.), Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today introduced the Helicopter Safety Act, a bill to require terrain awareness and warning systems and crash-resistant flight data and voice recorders on all… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AW189 (G-OENC), wrong deck landing, Forties Charlie platform, northern North Sea, 25 March 2019
The National Transportation Safety Board, in a safety recommendation report issued Tuesday called on helicopter manufacturers to equip turbine-powered helicopters with crash-resistant systems to record data, audio, and images. The NTSB asked the manufacturers – Airbus Helicopters, Bell, Leonardo, MD Helicopters, Robinson and Sikorsky – to act since the Federal Aviation Administration has not implemented… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Bell 429 (G-WLTS), un-commanded yaw during Power Assurance Check, Melksham, Wiltshire, 2 January 2019 AW109SP (G-VIVE), aircraft struck power lines during final approach, Robins Farm, Chiddingfold, Surrey, 04 November 2019 Robinson R44 II (G-LLIZ), helicopter rollover,… Read more »
The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org) has released an extensive Recommended Practice document which suggests training scenarios that will mitigate risk and improve aviation decision making. The training lesson plans in the document identify and describe numerous fatal helicopter accidents that involve some aspect showing a lack of sound aviation decision making that placed the… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-CILR), aircraft fire due to electrical short circuit, Wycombe Air Park, 22 July 2019 Correction: Sikorsky S-61N (G-ATBJ), control restriction on takeoff, Marchwood, Hampshire, 1 February 2018
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Sikorsky S-61N (G-ATBJ), control restriction on takeoff, Marchwood, Hampshire, 1 February 2018
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Correction – Record only – Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-CHWJ), Cotswold Airport, 7 May 2019
Washington, D.C. – In the wake of the tragedy that claimed the life of Laker legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and 7 others, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) is introducing the Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant Helicopter Safety Act, which will require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to strengthen federal safety standards for helicopters…. Read more »
Total accidents and the number of fatal accidents for the U.S. civil helicopter industry remained flat during 2019, but the second half of the year reflected fewer accidents (69 vs. 53) and fewer fatal accidents (15 vs. 9) compared to the first six months. The annual numbers also remained below accident totals from five and… Read more »
S.A.F.E. Structure Designs is expanding its support of the maintenance sector of the helicopter industry by hosting a Maintenance Safety Symposium dedicated to providing the latest safety and training resources to mechanics. This first annual Maintenance Safety Symposium will focus on “Troubleshooting Technology”. The conference will be held in Dallas on June 10-11, 2020. This… Read more »
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), the global aerospace and national security company owned by Eren and Fatih Ozmen, said DVE technology already selected for U.S. military helicopters, can also reduce the risk of civil and commercial flight crashes, in cases where visibility is impeded due to weather and other conditions such as fog. “Whether military or… Read more »
The Safety and Aviation Committee of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) endorsed plans for a new aviation-focused Joint Industry Project (JIP) to fund work in support of its Project Safira goal of eliminating fatalities from the upstream energy business. The JIP will result in fresh investment of approximately £500,000 in the… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Eurocopter EC135T1 (VP-CPS), corrosion-initiated fracture of a main rotor actuator tie bar, Owen Roberts International Airport, Cayman Islands, 26 February 2019 Agusta A109E (G-ETPI), loss of co-pilot’s door window, In flight North of Seaton, Cornwall, 27… Read more »
The team at HeliHub.com would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2020. This is the time of the year we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and we trust many of our readers will take time to consider what that means to the world, perhaps through attending a church… Read more »
HeliOffshore published the inaugural Helicopter Safety Performance Report – the result of the collaborative efforts of operators, manufacturers and regulators, through HeliOffshore’s Safety Intelligence Programme. Gretchen Haskins, CEO HeliOffshore, said: “This Helicopter Safety Performance Report reveals how far we have come as a mature, collaborative industry – but also what we need to do to close the… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- EC135 P2+ (G-POLA), loss of NR control during flight test due to a faulty N2 adjuster, Morpeth, Northumberland, 5 April 2018
The world’s first ISO approved drone standards have been announced by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)[1] following a 12-month period of consultation with drone professionals, academics, businesses and the general public. The final publication of these new international safety and quality Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are set to have a massive impact… Read more »
Source:
The International Organisation for Standardisation, 09-Dec-19
The arrow is pointing in the right direction – – downward. Over the past two decades, the U.S. helicopter fatal accident rate has been cut in half, from 1.27 fatal accidents per 100,000 flights to 0.63. U.S. Helicopter Fatal Accident Rate (5 Year Moving Average, 2001-2019) However, the industry has hit a plateau during 2018… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has found that the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) does not meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety standards and therefore has received a Category 2 rating based on a reassessment of the country’s civil aviation authority. A Category 2 International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA)… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-PERH), loss of control in hover, Goodwood Aerodrome, Sussex, 8 June 2018 Robinson R22 Beta (G-OODX), autorotation following loss of drive to main rotor, Near Naunton Beauchamp, Worcestershire, 1 August 2018
As the temperature moves downward during October and November in most of the U.S., the number of fatal helicopter accidents usually moves upward according to the United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org). In 2017 and 2018, during these two autumn months, the U.S. helicopter industry experienced 13 fatal accidents, the highest total for a… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Agusta Westland AW189 (G-MCGR), pilot became temporarily spatially disorientated in cloud at night, Beinn Narnain, Scotland, 17 February 2018 EC120 B (G-RCNB), helicopter rolled onto its side after lift-off, Enniskillen Airport, County Fermanagh, 25 June 2019
The new pre-flight risk-assessment app called “Before your flight” went live in July to aid operators in making informed decisions prior to a flight. It is an example of Airbus Helicopters proactive support of global safety initiatives. “Before your flight” is available in nine languages: French, English, German, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian,… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AS350B2 (G-PLMH), loss of control and impact with water after underslung load struck tail rotor, Loch Scadavay, North Uist, Western Isles, 13 June 2018 Sikorsky S-92A (G-CKXL), wrong-deck approach to Brae Bravo, Brae oil-field, northern North… Read more »
On August 13th-16th Robinson Helicopter Company will host the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team’s (USHST) annual meeting at its Torrance, California factory. The meeting follows the USHST’s recent call to action to the helicopter community to address rising accident rates. The safety conference kicks off with a Steering Committee meeting on Tuesday, followed by two days… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
HeliOffshore’s Helideck Work Group has prepared a report to highlight the top five safety events associated with helideck operations based on analysis of frontline data. The analysis was collected from data provided by CHC Helicopter, BP and Chevron and sampled nearly 1000 events between 2016 and 2018. After identifying the top five issues, the group will… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Bell 429 (M-YMCM), bird strike on approach to Edinburgh Airport, 25 November 2018
In a new video report from the recent 2019 HeliOffshore Conference & AGM, industry stakeholders and experts spelt out what actions need to be taken to achieve safety excellence in those areas with the most potential to save lives. Plans were discussed to ensure that the right resources are available to support these actions being… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Agusta AW139 (G-MCSD), tail rotor blade fairing and bonding strip detached during flight, offshore from Aberdeen, 6 May 2018 Aerospatiale SA341G Gazelle (YU-HMC), loss of power and rolled over on landing, private landing field, Enfield, 14… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- MBB-BK 117 D-2 (G-HEMC), aircraft struck a wire whilst taxiing, Near Hollesley, Suffolk, 15 December 2018
Offshore union RMT repeats call for public inquiry into helicopter safety on 10th anniversary of Super Puma disaster Offshore union RMT today repeated the call for a full public inquiry into helicopter safety in the North Sea as workers from across the industry mark the anniversary of the Super Puma tragedy that alerted the nation… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AW109SP (G-FRRN), engine started with rotor brake on, London Heliport (Battersea), 19 November 2018 Bell 206B3 (G-OPEN), inadvertent climb into cloud and subsequent loss of control, near Aldborough, North Yorkshire, 30 May 2018 Robinson R22 Beta (G-MACA), helicopter… Read more »
Aviation forecasts are a central tool to help pilots to identify anticipated weather threats and put in place a strategy to mitigate those threats during the pre-flight planning stage. However, a forecast only describes what is most likely to happen, and pilots must use their knowledge and experience to consider other possible outcomes associated with… Read more »
As part of its commitment to drive down the civil helicopter fatal accident rate, the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org) has issued a report identifying how Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Optionally Piloted Aircraft (OPA) technology can reduce fatalities in high-risk operations. The study by the USHST is part of a larger effort to implement… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
This Thursday and Friday, more than 50 aviation safety professionals and leaders from industry and government will come together in Washington DC for this year’s USHST Infrastructure Summit. The Summit is designed as an industry and government collaborative comprised of groups involved with and impacted by: Heliport Safety, Standardization, Education and Oversight Aviation Weather Gathering,… Read more »
The government and industry cooperative effort to promote helicopter safety and reduce accidents and fatalities, the International Helicopter Safety Team, has now become the International Helicopter Safety Foundation (www.IHSF.aero). The organization, which was formed in 2005, has been incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation because it has developed a permanent safety role within the worldwide helicopter… Read more »
Boston MedFlight recently launched a video series on YouTube meant to improve first responder safety when medical aircraft respond directly to an emergency scene, as opposed to an airport or helipad. Boston MedFlight regularly transports critically ill or injured patients off the Vineyard by helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft, and on occasion its helicopters are called… Read more »
Boston MedFlight, a nonprofit, nationally recognized critical care medical transport organization that partners with a consortium of academic medical centers, has produced a helicopter landing zone safety video training series developed for use by Massachusetts first responders and air ambulance companies operating in the Commonwealth. This is the first landing zone safety video series created specifically for… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Special Bulletins S1/2018 – Agusta AW169 (G-VSKP), loss of control on departure, Leicester, 27 October 2018 S2/2018 – Agusta AW169 (G-VSKP), loss of control on departure, Leicester, 27 October 2018 Other Investigations MBB-BK 117 D-2 (G-RMAA), insufficient anti-torque… Read more »
The team at HeliHub.com would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2019. This is the time of the year we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and we trust many of our readers will take time to consider what that means to the world, perhaps through attending a church… Read more »
The world’s four leading helicopter manufacturers have agreed plans for the implementation of enhancements to their Helicopter Terrain Avoidance and Warning Systems (HTAWS). At a recent meeting organised by HeliOffshore, senior representatives from Airbus Helicopters, Bell, Leonardo Helicopters, Sikorsky and avionics manufacturer Honeywell met with officials from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the UK… Read more »
Offshore helicopter flights are just part of a very broad range of engineering support services provided by Babcock International Group. These also include decommissioning nuclear sites, building warships, and maintaining railway infrastructure and powerlines. A key common theme between these safety critical activities is that they are conducted in highly regulated environments. David Plester, managing… Read more »
Last week, two air accidents took place within a span of three days which resulted in killing three crews and injuring three others. A Let L-410UVP-E20 aircraft belonging to Summit Air (Goma Air) crashed when it attempted to land on runway 06 at Lukla-Tenzing-Hillary Airport airstrip in Nepal on May 28 killing two cockpit crews… Read more »
The U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (www.USHST.org) looked at 10 years of helicopter operations data from Jan. 2009 through 2018 and compared the share of flight hours of every industry type with the percentage share of total accidents and fatal accidents. During this period, U.S. civil helicopters flew more than 31 million flight hours and experienced… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Cessna 152 (G-WACG) and Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-JAMM), mid-air collision, Near Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, 17 November 2017 Rotorway Executive 90 (G-BZES), loss of control while inadvertently descending downwind, Fenland Airfield, Lincolnshire, 1 July 2018
The 2018 Symposium, 4th – 5th December 2018, will feature about 30 presentations on the latest developments in the rotorcraft industry with a strong focus on Safety. EASA will present the main elements of the future Rotorcraft Strategic Safety Roadmap. Join and engage with about 300 participants across the industry on: How can technologies help… Read more »
The International Helicopter Safety Team (www.IHST.org) has initiated its fourth annual survey of civil helicopter operators located in key regions around the world in order to gain a broader understanding of where safety initiatives are being implemented. A link to the survey form can be found on the IHST web site: http://ihst.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2593 The IHST’s worldwide… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AS350 B3e (G-MATH), loss of control during hydraulics-off training, Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire, 5 May 2017 Robinson R44 (G-CTFL) and Robinson R44 (G-HYND), loss of control to G-CFTL after reversing into G-HYND’s main rotor, Cumbernauld Airport, North Lanarkshire,… Read more »
The new HeliOffshore Safety Intelligence Programme (HSIP) is giving the offshore helicopter industry a clear picture of its safety performance, delivering a growing volume of frontline data that supports all aspects of HeliOffshore’s collaborative work to avoid accidents. Data is already being submitted by operators accounting for more than 80% of aircraft in the combined… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness
The new HeliOffshore Safety Intelligence Programme (HSIP) is already delivering significant volumes of operational data from frontline offshore helicopter operations around the world. As the scope of the programme is expanded, it has the potential to generate a wide range of data that supports and validates multiple aspects of HeliOffshore’s work to enhance safety. To… Read more »
The families of the two Texas Army National guard chief warrant officers who died in a 2016 crash are suing Boeing. The officers, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dustin Lee Mortenson and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lucas Maurice Lowe, were flying an AH-64D on December 28. The families are suing Boeing for an unspecified amount of… Read more »
