The latest smartphone game craze Pokémon Go has raised safety concerns at some hospital helipads – but is it justified? The game, which sees users chasing game characters in real life, is a clever mix between a game and a smartphone real-life mapping application. The Pokémon characters show up seemingly at random, encouraging users to… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 14-Jul-16
The SESAR Joint Undertaking has launched a call for exploratory research projects on the integration of drones into civil airspace within the framework of the SESAR 2020 research and innovation programme. Specifically, the call aims to stimulate initial solutions for drone traffic management, supporting the sharing of airspace between manned and unmanned systems. A total… Read more »
Source: SESAR, 13-Jul-16
Fog, blizzards, gusts of wind – poor weather can often make the operation of rescue helicopters a highly risky business, and sometimes even impossible. A new helmet-mounted display, developed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), may in the future be able to help pilots detect hazards at an early stage, even when… Read more »
Source: TUM, 11-Jul-16
A new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy encourages general aviation aircraft owners to voluntary install safety equipment on airplanes and helicopters that is not required by the agency’s regulations. It will reduce costs and streamline the installation ofNon-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment (NORSEE) into the general aviation fleet. The policy is the result of indutsry and… Read more »
Source: FAA, 08-Jul-16
The Bell 525 Relentless program sadly suffered a fatal accident on a test flight yesterday, with two fatalaties. The subject helicopter – the orange prototype seen in the image here – was on a flight out of Bell’s XworX facility near Arlington. The accident happened near the town of Italy in Ellis County and not… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 07-Jul-16
Engine filtration experts from Donaldson Aerospace & Defense, a business unit within Donaldson Company, Inc. (NYSE: DCI) will present July 7 at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) meeting being held to discuss proposed policy changes to the Inlet Barrier Filtration (IBF) certification process for helicopters. The public meeting will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn at Fort Worth Alliance… Read more »
Source: Donaldson, 07-Jul-16
The Chapter 11 insolvency process is a daunting one for companies entering into the procedure, but it can also be a stark reminder to suppliers that the contracts they entered into with debtors can not only be worthless but also leave them with significant additional burdens to consider. For the CHC Helicopter Group of companies,… Read more »
Source: Allan Blake, 06-Jul-16
Thursday this week, 7th July, the FAA is holding a meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, to present proposals for a significant change in how Inlet Barrier Filters (IBFs) are certified. But there’s a problem. There is no justification for such a move, and it will hurt the industry. An estimated 20,000,000 flight hours have been… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 05-Jul-16
The presentation of an update yesterday on the Norwegian investigation of April’s EC225 accident brings us closer to the issue being one that puts the onus on Airbus rather than CHC – see earlier article. If, and we stress it is still conditional, the final report continues in the same way, then Airbus Helicopters have… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 29-Jun-16
Fog, blizzards, gusts of wind – poor weather can often make the operation of rescue helicopters a highly risky business, and sometimes even impossible. A new helmet-mounted display, developed by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), may in the future be able to help pilots detect hazards at an early stage, even when… Read more »
Source: TUM, 29-Jun-16
The Accident Investigation Board of Norway (AIBN) has released another update in their investigation of the Airbus EC225 accident which happened on 29th April as the CHC aircraft was returning from the Gullfaks platform to Bergen Airport. Of particular note, they state “At this stage of the investigation, the AIBN finds that the accident most… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 29-Jun-16
The world’s first fully integrated detect-track-disrupt-defeat Anti-UAV Defence System (AUDS) – developed by a trio of British companies including Blighter Surveillance Systems, Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems, and integrated/supported in North America by Liteye Systems Inc. – has been selected by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for evaluation at US airports as… Read more »
Source: Blighter, 28-Jun-16
The FAA and general aviation (GA) groups’ #FlySafe national safety campaign aims to educate the GA community on best practices in calculating and predicting aircraft performance, and in operating within established aircraft limitations. Remember the lyric, “Get your motor runnin’…”? Well, it’s even more important to KEEP your motor running. The General Aviation Joint Steering… Read more »
Source: FAA, 28-Jun-16
A recent report in the Jakarta Post noted that the Indonesian Air Force has stopped flying its fleet of Super Pumas, believed to be 12 strong. Air Force spokesman First Marshal Wieko Sofyan has reportedly said that Air Force chief of staff, Marshal Agus Supriatna, had instructed the suspension pending the result of study by… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 23-Jun-16
Bill Korner, Chairman and CEO of Flight Research, states that ‘Loss of Control In-Flight’ is the leading cause of aviation accidents today, and this applies to helicopters as well as fixed wing aircraft. It is important that every flight department recognize that their crews should be well prepared for any situation that would arise. In… Read more »
Source: Flight Research, 22-Jun-16
The winner of this year’s ‘Innovation in Safety Award’ will be selected, once again, by a committee of industry professionals. The award ceremony will take place during the Helicopter Association of Canada’s annual conference, November 10th -14th in Edmonton, Alberta. The award recipient will receive a cash prize of $10,000.00 CAD in addition to recognition… Read more »
Source: Canada, 22-Jun-16
Today, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has finalized the first operational rules for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or “drones”), opening pathways towards fully integrating UAS into the nation’s airspace. These new regulations work to harness new innovations safely, to spur job growth, advance critical scientific research and save… Read more »
Source: FAA, 21-Jun-16
The 2016 European Aviation Safety Agency’s Annual Conference takes place 25 & 26 October 2016in Bratislava, Slovakia, coinciding with the country’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference focuses on the topics of future technologies and innovative business models, covering all aviation domains, including aircraft manufacturing, aircraft operations and Air Traffic Management. Among… Read more »
Source: EASA, 17-Jun-16
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working with commercial airlines and pilots’ unions to improve mental health evaluations, and encourage voluntary reporting of pilot mental health issues. An Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) comprised of aviation and medical experts has made several recommendations about pilot medical fitness. “Safety is always our first… Read more »
Source: FAA, 09-Jun-16
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Sikorsky SK92A (G-VINL), landed on the incorrect oil rig, Golden Eagle Complex, North Sea, 22 August 2014 Bell 206B (G-RAMY), loss of control in flight and rotor/fuselage contact, near Creg-Ny-Baa public house, Isle of Man, 6… Read more »
Source: AAIB, 09-Jun-16
Today on a national press call, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Deputy Administrator Michael G. Whitaker announced a $500 rebate incentive for General Aviation (GA) aircraft owners who equip their aircraft with required avionics technology. Accelerating compliance is critical to ensuring that pilots, manufacturers, and retail facilities have adequate time and capacity to equip… Read more »
Source: FAA, 07-Jun-16
EASA has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2016-0104-E which prohibits any flights of Airbus AS332L2 and EC225 helicopters with the exception of a single flight without passengers to ferry such a helicopter to a maintenance base. This follows earlier groundings from the national Civil Aviation Authorities of Norway and the UK, with the exception of… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 03-Jun-16
The United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.ushst.org) is offering a supportive voice to recent changes made by the Federal Aviation Administration in its Practical Test Standards (PTS) for helicopter instructors. (https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-7B.pdf) “The revision provides examiners a path to mitigate some risks associated with the Flight Instructor PTS requirements to demonstrate proficiency in the touchdown portion… Read more »
Source: USHST, 02-Jun-16
Jive Software, Inc. (Nasdaq: JIVE), today announced that HeliOffshore, the global safety association for the offshore helicopter industry, selected Jive to connect helicopter operators, global manufacturers, aviation regulators, academics and other stakeholders across the expansive rotary-wing ecosystem.HeliOffshore Space, the new Jive-powered community, helps bring the industry together to collaborate on safety initiatives that will benefit… Read more »
Source: Jive, 24-May-16
A Great Slave Helicopter Bell 206L-4 (C-GSHX) rolled over when pilot exited helicopter to unhook sling load. The pilot contacted Ektaki, NT (CYOA) radio. CADORS 2016C1746
21-May-16
The mandate for Statoil’s in-house investigation of the helicopter accident on 29 April is ready. The purpose of the investigation is to identify measures to improve Statoil’s work on helicopter safety on the Norwegian continental shelf. The Accident Investigation Board Norway is responsible for identifying the chain of events and the cause of the accident…. Read more »
Source: Statoil, 19-May-16
The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has welcomed the announcement in the Queen’s Speech that the Government will introduce new regulations on drones in a forthcoming Modern Transport Bill. Jim McAuslan, BALPA General Secretary, said: “We are pleased that the Government is planning to bring forward drone legislation in a new bill. The number of… Read more »
Source: BALPA, 19-May-16
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today posted a large database showing the city, state and zip code of each registered drone owner. Release of the database responds to a number of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted since the new unmanned aircraft registration system began operating on December 21, 2015. The FAA is not… Read more »
Source: FAA, 19-May-16
The FAA and its government partners are expanding research on ways to detect “rogue” drones around airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its government, industry and academia partners have joined forces to evaluate drone detection technology at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. Over the last two years, the FAA has… Read more »
Source: FAA, 17-May-16
HeliOffshore Chief Executive Officer Gretchen Haskins, in closing remarks yesterday, described how recent helicopter tragedies had strengthened the industry’s resolve to enhance the safety of offshore helicopter operations. “We owe it to those who lost loved ones in Norway – and in other accidents – to do everything to continue our collaboration and deliver safety breakthroughs,”… Read more »
Source: HeliOffshore, 16-May-16
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Robinson R22 Beta (G-EFON), tail rotor struck ground during lift off at Retford Gamston Airport, 25 February 2016
Source: AAIB, 12-May-16
The ATSB is investigating a collision with terrain involving a Robinson R22, VH-WGB, 220 km NE of Port Hedland Airport, Western Australia, on 12 May 2016. While conducting aerial work, the helicopter collided with terrain. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter was substantially damaged.
12-May-16
Following the tragic Norwegian Super Puma helicopter accident on Friday 29 April, the UK and Norwegian Civil Aviation Authorities have been collaborating very closely and are united in their approach. Shortly after the accident, both organisations introduced restrictions to the Airbus EC225LP helicopter to prevent operators using it for commercial flights. Both organisations have now… Read more »
Source: CAA, 11-May-16
In my travels, I hear one comment a lot: “I had no idea HAI did all that!” So I want to tell you about some — but certainly not all — of the ways HAI works for our members. HAI advocates for: The safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the airspace and developing… Read more »
Source: HAI, 11-May-16
HAI has submitted its application to serve on a newly formed FAA working group to enhance helicopter bird strike protection. The FAA recently announced the formation of the working group, which will provide advice and recommendations to the aviation rulemaking advisory committee (ARAC). According to the FAA’s announcement in the Federal Register, data shows that… Read more »
Source: HAI, 10-May-16
The privately owned Rotorway 162F, C-FLRQ, was enroute from the manufacturer’s facility in Red Deer, AB (CYQF), to a private strip near Big Valley, AB. In the vicinity of Delburne, AB, the FADEC controlled engine (RI162) began to lose power, and then came back on. The pilot decided to conduct an autorotation in a field…. Read more »
06-May-16
The European Aviation Safety Agency announces today the creation of a task force to assess the risk of collision between drones and aircraft. The task force will: Review all relevant occurrences including the occurrences collected by the European Member States, Analyse the existing studies on the subject of impact between drones and aircraft, Study the… Read more »
Source: EASA, 05-May-16
Two and a half weeks ago, on April 15th, CHC chose to delay the payment of $46 Million in interest due on its 9.25% senior secured notes maturing October 15, 2020 (the “2020 Notes”). At the time, our analysis of the company’s unaudited balance sheet at 31 January 2016 showed that its liabilities exceeded its… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 04-May-16
Given the volume of emails and phone calls that HeliHub.com has received in recent days, mainly from outside the helicopter industry, we are taking this opportunity to put one key point down in writing. They key area of investigation is the main rotor gearbox and the suspension bars which sit at an angle to hold… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 04-May-16
Shell has issued the following statement, in which they confirm they are suspending using CHC Norway as an operator. The oil company’s decision does not extend to CHC in any other country. “Shell has with sadness followed the reports of the tragic event outside Bergen in Norway. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the… Read more »
Source: Shell, 04-May-16
3 May – Airbus Helicopters welcomes the announcement made by the Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) today. The investigation will now solely be focused on potential root causes of a technical failure, such as design, production, and/or maintenance. Airbus Helicopters continues to provide its full support to the AIBN investigation. At this stage and based… Read more »
04-May-16
C-GOPK, a Highland Helicopters Bell 206 B departed Williams Lake (CYWL) and was carrying out scanning operations over a logged area about 112 nm NW of Prince George when the helicopter spun to the left and descended into the ground. The helicopter was destroyed, the pilot was injured, but the 2 passengers appeared to have… Read more »
04-May-16
EASA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD), following the tragic accident which occurred in Norway on 29 April 2016 to an Airbus Helicopters EC 225 helicopter. The partial information available so far indicate an in-flight separation of the main rotor from the main gearbox (MGB); an investigation is on-going to identify the root cause of… Read more »
Source: EASA, 03-May-16
The Accident Investigation Board Norway arrived at the accident site on Turøy in Hordaland Friday evening. Helicopter wreckage was retrieved from land and the sea bottom Saturday and was then transferred to Haakonsvern naval base (Bergen) by ship. The combined Flight Data and Cockpit Voice Recorder was retrieved from the wreckage Friday night. The unit… Read more »
Source: AIBN, 03-May-16
Mick Borwell, Health, Safety and Environment Policy Director with Oil & Gas UK, said: “This is tragic news from Norway and our immediate thoughts go to the family, friends and colleagues of those involved in this incident. “The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has followed the Norwegian CAA in issuing a Safety Directive effective from… Read more »
Source: OIl & Gas UK, 03-May-16
CHC Helicopter Service earlier today confirmed that flight HKS 241 from the Gullfaks B platform was involved in an accident near the Flesland Airport in Bergen, Norway on April 29, 2016. The helicopter, an Airbus EC 225, carried 11 passengers and two crewmembers. The flight was operated on behalf of Statoil. “We are greatly saddened… Read more »
Source: CHC, 03-May-16
The AAIB is deploying a small team to assist the Norwegian AIBN in their investigation of a helicopter accident near Bergen. Air Accidents Investigation Branch Chief Inspector Keith Conradi said: “We were sad to hear of the loss of a helicopter west of Bergen, Norway. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has offered to assist the… Read more »
Source: AAIB, 03-May-16
On Friday, April 29, 2016, an accident occurred with an Airbus Helicopters EC225LP (also known as a H225) model helicopter operated by another helicopter company, which resulted in a crash near Turøy outside of Bergen, Norway. The aircraft was carrying eleven passengers and two crew members at the time of the accident. Thirteen fatalities were… Read more »
Source: Bristow, 03-May-16
SAFETY DIRECTIVE – Airbus Helicopters EC225LP – Limitation of operations in the Kingdom of Norway due to fatal accident on the 29th of April 2016 This Safety Directive contains mandatory action that is required to establish an acceptable level of safety. It is issued in accordance with the Aviation Act (Luftfartsloven) §4-1 and regulation (EC)… Read more »
Source: Luftfartstilsynet, 03-May-16
Below is the wording of two separate statements from manufacturer Airbus Helicopters following the accident of an EC225 operated by CHC on 29th April May 1, 2016 – Considering the additional information gathered during the last 48 hours, Airbus Helicopters’ decision, at this stage, is to not suspend flights of any nature for the… Read more »
Source: Airbus Helicopters, 03-May-16
“Our thoughts are with those affected by the tragic accident in Norway. “Following the accident the UK CAA has issued an instruction to stop any commercial passenger flights by UK operators flying the Airbus EC225LP helicopter. This mirrors action taken by the Norwegian CAA. The restriction does not apply to search and rescue flights. “The… Read more »
Source: CAA, 03-May-16
Main rotor blades and hub reportedly detached in flight, and a video online purports to show this subsystem spinning down to earth. The remainder of the helicopter descended at high rate, impacting rocky ground with 13 fatalities on impact and being consumed in the post-impact fire. The helicopter was being operated for Statoil, and en… Read more »
29-Apr-16
The FAA and general aviation (GA) group’s #FlySafe national safety campaign aims to educate the GA community on best practices in calculating and predicting aircraft performance, and on operating within established aircraft limitations. What is Loss of Control? A Loss of Control (LOC) accident involves an unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight. LOC… Read more »
Source: FAA, 25-Apr-16
Police in London were last night investigating after an object – reported to be a drone – struck the nose of a British Airways jet over Heathrow in what is believed to be the first case of its kind. The pilot of flight BA727 from Geneva, carrying 132 passengers and five crew members, reported the… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com, 18-Apr-16
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AAR 1/2016 AS332 L2 Super Puma, G-WNSB struck the sea on approach to Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands, 23 August 2013 Agusta Bell 206B Jet Ranger III (G-OMDR), loss of control in flight, near Gamston… Read more »
Source: AAIB, 15-Apr-16
Pilot made an emergency landing in a paddock for unknown reason. Inspection cover in firewall had not been closed during pre-flight checks and helicopter was consumed by fire. Sole occupant pilot got out OK without injury
15-Apr-16
FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker visited the Sun ‘n Fun International Fly In and Expo in Lakeland, Fla. this week as part of the agency’s ongoing partnership with the general aviation community to improve safety. Whitaker announced the FAA’s Got Data? initiative to give the private sector better access the FAA’s aeronautical data. Speaking at… Read more »
Source: FAA, 12-Apr-16
ICAO is working to bring sleep standards for helicopter pilots in line with existing recommended practices for commercial airline crew, said Michelle Millar, ICAO’s technical specialist, human performance See full story
Source: ICAO, 11-Apr-16
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently reviewing the report and recommendations of the Micro Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Aviation Rulemaking Committee. The agency had tasked the group to develop recommendations for performance-based regulations that would let certain unmanned aircraft operate over people not directly involved in the flight of the aircraft. The rulemaking committee,… Read more »
Source: FAA, 08-Apr-16
The United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.ushst.org) will focus major attention during the next four years on reducing fatal accidents within the U.S. civil helicopter community. The industry-government partnership is targeting a reduction to 0.61 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours, which is 20 percent less than the average since 2009. For a baseline comparison,… Read more »
Source: USHST, 07-Apr-16
Lieutenant Marcus Case, 27, was killed and five other service personnel injured when a Chinook helicopter they were in crashed near the Aussie base at Tarin Kowt in May 2011 See full story See also HeliHub.com page for this accident – 30-May-11 Boeing CH-47D Tarin Kot, Afghanistan (1F)
Source: Herald Sun, 04-Apr-16
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today released an updated list of pilot, air traffic controller and citizen reports of possible encounters with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The latest report covers August 22, 2015 through January 31, 2016. Reports of unmanned aircraft have increased dramatically since 2014. Safely integrating unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system is one… Read more »
Source: FAA, 28-Mar-16
Raj Helweg, chief pilot of Air Methods, has been named the new industry co-chairman of the United States Helicopter Safety Team (www.ushst.org). The USHST was formed in 2013 as a regional partner within the International Helicopter Safety Team (www.IHST.org) to lead a government and industry cooperative effort to promote safety and work to reduce civil… Read more »
Source: USHST, 27-Mar-16
on a local pleasure flight from a private facility at Redfern Lake, BC. As the pilot attempted a landing at approximately 7800 feet ASL near the edge of a cirque, the aircraft encountered descending air on final. The pilot elected to continue the approach and increased the collective to maintain the sight picture. The pilot… Read more »
26-Mar-16
The ATSB is investigating a fatal accident involving a Bell 206B helicopter accident near Camila, Queensland on 25 March 2016. During crop spraying operations, the helicopter struck powerlines before colliding with terrain. The pilot was fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed by post-impact fire.
25-Mar-16
C-GGQL, a Far West Helicopters Bell 206B, was departing with two passengers on board off a helipad at an elevation of about 2500 feet ASL, 4 nautical miles north of Port Renfrew, BC. During the vertical ascent to rise above tree height, the torque gauge was indicating about 90-95%. Upon reaching an estimated 100-150 feet,… Read more »
24-Mar-16
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expects thousands of birds may be saved each year because of changes the agency has made to its communication tower lighting standards. The FAA has developed a number of tower lighting configurations for tall structures to warn pilots they are approaching an obstruction, particularly during nighttime hours and in bad… Read more »
Source: FAA, 23-Mar-16
Guillermo Sanchez was driving to work in Seattle on the morning of March 18, 2014 when the news helicopter fell from the sky and hit his car while he was stopped at a red light. See full story
Source: KREM, 23-Mar-16
Mick Borwell, Health & Safety Director, Oil & Gas UK, said: “Following publication of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch report into the Sumburgh tragedy we will take time to carefully examine its findings. Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues of those not with us today. “There are many recommendations in this report… Read more »
Source: Oil & Gas UK, 23-Mar-16
The ATSB is investigating a collision with terrain involving a Robinson R22, VH-RGY, at Richmond Airport, Queensland, on 21 March 2016. After engine start, the helicopter collided with terrain resulting in substantial damage. The pilot was uninjured.
21-Mar-16
Over 40 members of the UK onshore helicopter industry got together at the buildings of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), Farnborough on 10th March. Senior members of many of the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) operators and maintenance organisations, along with Airbus Helicopters UK, Finmeccanica UK, and Turbomeca UK all contributed to a busy schedule… Read more »
Source: Starspeed, 20-Mar-16
Analyses of helicopter accidents point to operational factors as prime contributors to rotorcraft accidents. Airbus Helicopters’ Aviation Safety Roadshows aim to change the safety culture by mobilizing our network of customer centers and promoting helicopter safety through seminars around the world. Aligned with our ‘Safety First’ culture, Airbus Helicopters launched the Aviation Safety Roadshows as… Read more »
Source: Airbus, 18-Mar-16
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and key government agencies involved in unmanned aircraft operations are expanding participation in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Executive Committee (EXCOM). The committee provides federal agencies with a forum to share information and reduce redundancies on UAS research and development, and resolve policy and procedural issues on safe UAS integration… Read more »
Source: FAA, 17-Mar-16
Crashed on take off after unloading construction materials, ending on its starboard side.
17-Mar-16
C-FBLW, a TRK Helicopters Aerospatiale AS350 BA helicopter, was operated under contract to SKEENA Heli-Ski from the Bear Creek Lodge, BC, about 82 nautical miles north west of Smithers, BC. The flight was returning to base camp in the late afternoon with a pilot and 6 passengers on board. As the pilot was maneuvering the… Read more »
16-Mar-16
