Pilot in fatal helicopter crash had meth in system, records show
Source: Tulsa World, 12 Mar, 10
Accident being referred to involved Robinson R22 registered N3234G (HeliHub.com data page for this accident) Press reports at the time showed that the accident date was inconclusive with both 14th and 15th October being quoted by different sources – the wreckage not being found until Friday 16th.
SkyTrac Systems Sponsors CHC Safety and Quality Summit 2010
Source: SkyTrac Systems, 11 Mar, 10
SkyTrac Systems is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the 2010 CHC Safety and Quality Summit March 22-24 in Vancouver BC. SkyTrac recognizes the importance in contributing to an event that promotes safety in aviation, and is proud to be involved. Steve Fuhr, VP and Director of Business Development and Mike Zelin, Director of International Sales and [...]
HAI’s Operator Safety Award is Now Open
Source: HAI, 11 Mar, 10
HAI’s Operator Safety Award annually recognizes operating members for safe operations during the previous year. HAI provides one engraved commemorative plaque and year-date medallion at no cost to first time recipients who qualify. Members who renew their membership to the Operator Safety Award will receive a 2009 year medallion to place on their plaques.
Applicants are [...]
Cougar S92 inquiry renews calls for separate safety agency to oversee Newfoundland offshore
Source: Canadian Press, 11 Mar, 10
Observers, experts and employees said the crash of Cougar Flight 491 highlighted the need for a separate safety agency to replace an offshore regulator that has the competing tasks of promoting the industry and protecting workers
HeliHub.com provides news via Google Buzz for GMail users
Source: HeliHub.com, 10 Mar, 10
As part of the continued expansion of HeliHub.com, all of our news articles are now available on the Google Buzz platform. Seen initially as a cross between Facebook and Twitter, Buzz is fast carving out its own niche in the social networking world. Google’s launch of Buzz was not without its controversy, but has now [...]
AgustaWestland summoned to explain AW119 crash which injured Ugandan President
Source: Daily Monitor, 10 Mar, 10
HeliHub.com accident report – click here 07-Mar-10 5X-MAC AgustaWestland AW119 Bugiri, Uganda
HAI Releases New Wire Strike Safety Awareness Video Online
Source: HAI, 10 Mar, 10
Helicopter Association International (HAI) has released a new, online aviation wire strike safety awareness video. “Surviving the Wires Environment” is posted as a streaming video on the HAI Web site, and can be viewed for free by HAI members and nonmembers. The video was produced in cooperation with Southern California Edison (SCE) and AEGIS Insurance [...]
North Sea Helicopter Traffic Safety Improves with Sensis Wide Area Multilateration
Source: Sensis, 10 Mar, 10
NATS Services is now using Sensis Corporation’s Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland for helicopter flight following. Air traffic controllers are using the WAM surveillance information as a supplement to established procedural flight rules until the WAM system completes testing and regulatory approval for flight information services later this [...]
NTSB: AS350 design contributed to fatal April 2008 crash
Source: KTUU, 4 Mar, 10
Floor-mounted fuel controls on a helicopter that crashed in 2008 near Chickaloon, killing four people and injuring one, contributed to the accident according to a NTSB report released Wednesday
GCAA hosts meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council Helicopter Safety Team
Source: Emirates News Agency, 3 Mar, 10
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) hosted a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council Helicopter Safety Team (GCCHST), attended by all helicopter operators in UAE, Qatar and KSA.
HeliHub.com adds gallery on Flickr for website user photos
Source: HeliHub.com, 3 Mar, 10
HeliHub.com continues its expansion with the addition of a gallery on the popular image bank website Flickr.com
The Flickr gallery provides users of HeliHub.com the opportunity to upload their own photos, and over time this will become a very valuable resource. In time, HeliHub.com will utilise this gallery to provide imagery on the website itself to [...]
Bursary and scholarship program established to remember Cougar Flight 491
Source: News 880AM, 2 Mar, 10
A scholarship and bursary program has been established in the memory of the 17 victims of the crash of Cougar Flight 491 off Newfoundland last year.
Bristow urged to improve training after crash
Source: Evening Express, 27 Feb, 10
Accident investigators have now made several recommendations for Bristow Helicopters, which is based at Aberdeen Airport. The incident on November 21, 2006, happened near the Dutch port of Den Helder
Paramedic to sue over helicopter fall
Source: Cairns.com.au, 24 Feb, 10
A paramedic who may never walk again after a helicopter winch line snapped during a Torres Strait rescue is launching legal action over the accident.
Eurocopter – Applying innovation for increased flight safety and more eco-friendly helicopters
Source: American Eurocopter, 24 Feb, 10
The Heli-Expo 2010 trade show is spotlighting a range of innovations that will help keep American Eurocopter at the forefront of the U.S. rotary-wing marketplace with helicopters that are even safer and more environmentally friendly.
Technologies displayed at Heli-Expo 2010 by parent company Eurocopter (stand #3128) include revolutionary main rotor blade designs that reduce noise and [...]
AgustaWestland retools tail boom for retrofit on AW139
Source: AIN, 24 Feb, 10
AgustaWestland is assuring customers with helicopters on order that it will deliver them with a newly designed boom starting in April.
Pilot fatigue led to fatal mid-air between two R22s
Source: WA Today, 18 Feb, 10
The two Robinson R22s were reported in HeliHub.com here:-
05-May-09 VH-PHT Robinson R22 Springvale station north of Halls Creek, Australia (1F)
05-May-09 VH-HCB Robinson R22 Springvale station north of Halls Creek, Australia (1F)
Blade Separation Preceded EC135 Crash
Source: AIN, 18 Feb, 10
Incident referred to reported in HeliHub.com here 14-Feb-10 N127TS Eurocopter EC135 Cave Creek, US-Arizona (5F)
Virginia State Police pilot nominated in All-Star contest
Source: America's Most Wanted, 17 Feb, 10
This follows an incident where Aviation Sergeant Don Childs safely landed his Bell 407 after being shot seven times (see HeliHub.com accident report)
Newfoundland oil firms ordered to have rescue helicopter available
Source: Chronicle Herald, 14 Feb, 10
The regulators of Newfoundland’s oil industry have ordered a faster emergency response after the head of an inquiry into offshore helicopter safety made an urgent call for improvement.