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.
Columbia Helicopters To Clarify Unfounded Allegations Related to Fatal Carson S61 Crash
Source: Columbia Helicopters, 12 Feb, 10
Columbia Helicopters will hold a press/industry briefing at 10:00 AM Monday, February 22, 2010, regarding certain unfounded allegations related to the crash of a Carson Helicopters’ S-61 in 2008. Members of the media and all interested industry personnel are invited to attend.
Columbia Helicopters’ Vice President of Marketing, Todd Petersen, and General Legal Counsel, Tonya Van [...]
Mexico accident rate three times world average – Eurocopter commits to help
Source: La Jornada, 11 Feb, 10
Eurocopter’s Serge Durand said that it is disturbing that while the worldwide helicopter accident rate is 4.5 per 100 thousand flight hours in Mexico is three times greater
Turkey buzzard ends up on lap of R22 pilot
10 Feb, 10
Appleton said. “I didn’t even see the impact. I had lost sight of him and I just heard a loud boom, and then there I am flying with a turkey buzzard sitting on my lap, on top of my forearm.”
Bats raise air ambulance safety concerns
Source: ABC, 9 Feb, 10
A north Queensland mayor wants a bat colony to be moved away from the Charters Towers Hospital due to concerns about the danger to air traffic.
Lawsuit over fatal May 2004 helicopter crash ends
Source: WRAL, 8 Feb, 10
Accident aircraft was Hughes 269A N115ES – NTSB report here
Air Methods Exits Level 1 FAA Safety Management System Status
Source: Air Methods, 4 Feb, 10
Air Methods Corporation (Nasdaq:AIRM) recently was informed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it successfully exited Level 1 Safety Management System (SMS) status and is currently working toward achieving Level 2 SMS status. Air Methods believes it is currently the only helicopter air medical operator to participate in the FAA’s SMS voluntary implementation program, [...]
Cougar executive says offshore S92 crash changed him forever
Source: Oilweek, 2 Feb, 10
“The events of March 12th changed my life forever, there´s no doubt about that,” said Burt, who is also a vice-president of Cougar´s parent company, VIH Aviation
Hairline crack found in Cougar S92
Source: Canada.com, 29 Jan, 10
Cougar Helicopters found a single, hairline crack in a main gearbox footing of a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter that flies workers in Newfoundland to and from the offshore oilfields.
FAA release accident report PRIOR to the occurence date/time
Source: HeliHub.com, 29 Jan, 10
The FAA have got very confused today. They have put out an accident report stating the date as 29-Jan-10 (today) and the time as 2330 UTC, and it’s not yet 2130 UTC as we file this on HeliHub.com
Not only that, the helicopter is unregistered and not intended for flight… perhaps it’s children’s climbing frame in [...]
Human error cited in Army helicopter crash in Colorado
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 29 Jan, 10
HeliHub.com report on this 19-Aug-09 accident is here
Medford man convicted of lasering helicopter
Source: Boston Globe, 29 Jan, 10
A 51-year-old Medford man has been convicted of shining a green laser beam into a Massachusetts State Police helicopter
New safety checks ordered on North Sea helicopters
Source: STV, 27 Jan, 10
see HeliHub.com Safety Documents page for relevant documentation
HAI President Attends Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference Meeting
Source: HAI, 25 Jan, 10
On January 13 and 14, Helicopter Association International (HAI) President Matt Zuccaro attended a meeting of HAI affiliate, the Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference (HSAC), in New Orleans.
The first day of the meeting involved HSAC committee work sessions addressing such issues as flight following/ADS-B implementation, HSAC-recommended safety procedures, and maintenance technologies.
The second day consisted of a [...]
Helicopter wreckage located off the coast of Almería
Source: Typically Spanish, 25 Jan, 10
HeliHub.com page for this accident can be found here
Helicopter Pilots – the Final Safety Gate
Source: HAI, 21 Jan, 10
Generally, accidents are not the result of any one single event, but the product of several. My view is that every flight must pass through several gates in sequential order for the accident to happen — the final gate being the pilot. Logically, we as pilots have the final opportunity to prevent an accident.
A flight [...]
Pilot error caused death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
Source: Outlook India, 21 Jan, 10
The helicopter crash which claimed the life of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S R Reddy was caused by pilots’ error who lost the chopper’s control and were engrossed for vital six minutes trying to locate a flight manual
HeliHub.com page for this accident is here
HAI Announces Recipient of the 2010 AgustaWestland Safety Award
Source: HAI, 19 Jan, 10
HAI is pleased to announce the 2010 AgustaWestland Safety Award recipient, Terry Palmer; Manager of Rotorcraft Programs, Flight Safety International, Dallas, Texas.
Terry Palmer’s impressive aviation career began when she served on the airport board in Mesquite, Texas while obtaining her initial pilot ratings. Soon after, in 1989, she opened an FAA Part 141 Flight School, [...]
HeliHub.com Data Analysis – Review of fatal helicopter accidents in 2009
Source: HeliHub.com, 19 Jan, 10
HeliHub.com Data Analysis – definitive and reliable reviews on key aspects of the global helicopter industry.
We are launching this new series of articles with a statistical review of fatal helicopter accidents in 2009. HeliHub.com maintains an ongoing review of helicopter accidents throughout the year – see our Helicopter Accident page.
Our review of fatal helicopter accidents [...]
UK AAIB Bulletin – January 2009
Source: AAIB, 18 Jan, 10
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accidents of:-
Agusta A109A II, G-ELTE – at Redhill Aerodrome, Surry on02-May-08
Eurocopter EC135 T1, G-CCAU – atHindlip Hall, Hindlip, Worcestershire on 04-Dec-08
UK introduces new law to tackle aircraft laser crime
Source: CAA, 18 Jan, 10
A new law that makes shining a light or laser at an aircraft a specific criminal offence has been introduced. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which initiated the new law, said it was in response to the growing number of incidents involving laser devices being shone at airliners and helicopters near British airports
Settlement Reached in “The Final Season” Helicopter Crash Lawsuit
Source: KCRG, 18 Jan, 10
Accident involved Bell 206 N2877F on June 30, 2006
US Navy Develops Threat Warning System for Rotary-Wing Aircraft
Source: Defence Industry Daily, 16 Jan, 10
Bond North Sea AS332 crash families aid 11 charities
Source: Scotsman, 15 Jan, 10
More than £300,000 raised in memory of the 16 men killed in a Super Puma helicopter crash in the North Sea last year is to be distributed to 11 charities chosen by the bereaved families. Funds have also been set aside for a “symbol of remembrance” in a public garden in Aberdeen
Pilot in Meath helicopter crash admits error of judgment
Source: Irish Times, 15 Jan, 10
Accident was on 18-Sep-08 at Bettystown, County Meath, and involved S76B registered N399BH
Helicopter surveillance could save lives in avalanche
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, 12 Jan, 10
Search-and-rescue officials along the Wasatch Front hope long-range helicopter avalanche-beacon-receiver technology and training will get them to the victim before it happens.
Oil companies testify in Cougar S92 inquiry
Source: Toronto Sun, 12 Jan, 10
Oil company executives at an offshore helicopter inquiry said safety is their top priority — even as a lawyer representing workers pushed to question them on why it took nine years to introduce underwater breathing devices onboard.
2009 bird strikes may exceed 10,000 – a first
Source: ABC, 12 Jan, 10
Reports of airplanes hitting birds and other wildlife have soared in the year since a stricken US Airways jet landed in New York’s Hudson River, and the government’s tally for last year could reach or even exceed 10,000 for the first time.
Gulf of Mexico controllers start to use ADS-B technology
Source: FAA, 12 Jan, 10
WASHINGTON — Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt announced today that Houston air traffic controllers are beginning to use an improved satellite-based system – Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) — to more efficiently and safely separate and manage aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico.
“Safety is our highest priority at the U.S. Department of Transportation, [...]
FAA issues unapproved parts notification – UH-1H high skid tubes from Isolair
11 Jan, 10
No.: 2010 – 20080616008
Date: January 11, 2010
AFFECTED PRODUCTS:
High Cross Tubes, Part number 9002 installed on UH-1H model helicopters
PHi S76 flight recorder reveals pilot’s last words in Jan-09 accident
Source: Daily Comet, 8 Jan, 10
Refers to accident 04-Jan-2009 – HeliHub record of the accident is here.
USFS Safety Bulletin: Accident Prevention and Medications, Flying & Fitness
Source: USFS, 7 Jan, 10
Subject: Medications, Flying, and Fitness
Area of Concern: All Aviation Activities
Distribution: All Aviation Users
NLR tackles helicopter brownouts
Source: NLR, 7 Jan, 10
Due to blowing sand, a helicopter pilot’s in-flight visibility can be severely restricted during landings in deserts. At the request of the Dutch Ministry of Defence, the National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) has recently started working on finding solutions to support pilots during these precarious desert landings.
Missions in Afghanistan and Iraq have made the issue of [...]
Swiss Air Ambulance doctor killed by avalanche during rescue mission
Source: REGA press release translated and lightly edited., 6 Jan, 10
On Sunday, a crew member of a REGA Swiss Air Ambulance helicopter was sadly killed while performing his job. Rega is extremely sad and condolences to the relatives of the deceased doctor and the relatives of the two who were killed also their heartfelt condolences.
Rega had been called to an avalanche in Diemtigtal in the [...]
Sikorsky settles Cougar S-92 lawsuit
Source: Winnipeg Free Press, 6 Jan, 10
The families of passengers who died in the crash of a Sikorsky helicopter off the coast of Newfoundland last year, as well as the sole survivor of the tragedy, have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the U.S. company.
FAA Launches New Safety Management System Resource
Source: FAA, 6 Jan, 10
What is a Safety Management System (SMS)?
SMS is the formal, top-down business approach to managing safety risk, which includes a systemic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organizational structures, accountabilities, policies and procedures. (Order VS 8000.367)
Welcome to the Aviation Safety Organization’s Safety Management System Website! This website was created as a public resource for [...]
Helicopter industry website HeliHub.com sold to Jeremy Parkin
Source: HeliHub.com, 1 Jan, 10
01-Jan-10 Weybridge, UK – We are pleased to announce that HeliHub.com has a new owner – Jeremy Parkin, based in the UK. Mr Parkin acquired all rights to the website from a private investor for an undisclosed sum, and management of all aspects of the site is moved from Florida to the UK with immediate [...]
Chopper pilot smoked dope before September 2007 crash
Source: NT News, 23 Dec, 09
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation said the drug caused “impaired performance of complex tasks such as flying”. The chopper was also overloaded.
Defense Holdings Demonstrates AfterGlo® Photoluminescent Aviation Safety Paint On a VA Police Helicopter
Source: Rotornews, 16 Dec, 09
Defense Holdings is demonstrating its revolutionary, patented AfterGlo® Brand Photoluminescent (PL) Aviation Safety Paint on the main and tail rotor blades of a Bell Helicopter Textron Model 407 helicopter belonging to the Fairfax County, Virginia Police Aviation Division. Sections of the rotor blades were painted in October 2009.
Probe finds pilot error caused Dhruv to crash in Ecuador
Source: Press Trust of India, 15 Dec, 09
In a big relief to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, pilot error was found to have caused the crash of the defence PSU’s Advance Light Helicopter (ALH) “Dhruv” in Ecuador in October
Six-month suspended term for pilot who landed on Irish shopping centre roof
Source: Irish Times, 15 Dec, 09
A HELICOPTER pilot who landed his aircraft on the roof of a shopping centre to collect a set of keys has been given a six-month suspended sentence and fined €5,000. The judge said the man seemed to lack a grasp of common sense.
NASA tests deployable energy absorber to reduce impact of hard landings
Source: Huffington Post, 13 Dec, 09
A deployable energy absorber (think “honeycomb airbag”) may have some promise. NASA recently tested the technology by dropping a helicopter from 35 feet in the air.
Attorneys file lawsuits for Italian tourists killed in New York mid-air
Source: NorthJersey.com, 10 Dec, 09
Five wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against the pilot of a Piper fixed-wing aircraft that collided over the Hudson River with a helicopter carrying Italian tourists.
No go for Ingham Hospital helipad
Source: North Queensland Register, 9 Dec, 09
Member for Hinchinbrook, Andrew Cripps, has demanded answers from Health Minister Paul Lucas after concerns were raised the helipad at the Ingham Hospital still does not meet design specifications and Queensland Health will not let helicopters land on it.
Man Charged With ‘Lasing’ DPS Helicopter
Source: KPHO, 9 Dec, 09
The Arizona Department Of Public Safety arrested a man who it said pointed a handheld laser at a police helicopter involved in a robbery pursuit.
Helicopter job that killed four not authorized
Source: TheHook, 9 Dec, 09
An ill-fated powerline inspection with a helicopter that killed four people in Cranbrook, B.C. was technically against federal regulations, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
Cowichan District Hospital helipad shut down
Source: Canada.com, 8 Dec, 09
Transport Canada has shut down the helicopter landing facility at Cowichan District Hospital. On Nov. 18 the agency closed the helipad due to concerns about trees on a neighbouring property posing a safety hazard to the air ambulances.
FAA investigating whether helicopter at football game broke regulations
Source: Waco Tribune-Herald, 8 Dec, 09
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether an area helicopter company violated federal regulations by circling around the Baylor University-University of Texas football game Nov. 14 at Floyd Casey Stadium. Brazos Helicopters was operating a Bell 47J
Arrius-equipped Ka226T among the best in class for safety and emissions
Source: http://www.rus-helicopters.ru/en/news/news_company/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=1758, 8 Dec, 09
Kumertau Aviation Production Enterprise (KumAPE) has completed tests of a Ka-226T fitted with Turbomeca engines. The model uses French Arrius 2G turboshafts and a Russian VR-226N gearbox.
Flight Safety Foundation Launches Helicopter Work Group in Australia
Source: Rotorhub, 7 Dec, 09
Flight Safety Foundation announced today the creation of the Australian Helicopter Advisory Group – a subsidiary of Foundation’s Australian Advisory Board and its mission is to pursue the continuous improvement of helicopter safety and the prevention of accidents.
CHC launches 2010 Safety & Quality Summit
Source: AOPA, 3 Dec, 09
CHC Helicopter has opened registration for the CHC Safety and Quality Summit, scheduled for March 22 through 24, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, with early-bird pricing until the end of 2009.
Eurocopter lightning test results verify finite element analysis
Source: FlightGlobal, 1 Dec, 09
Lightning strike tests at Eurocopter’s Donauwörth facility have verified finite element analysis accuracy for carbonfibre structure current flow simulation, according to a European research consortium
Cougar S92 inquiry asks Defence Department for explanation
Source: Canada.com, 1 Dec, 09
The head of the inquiry investigating last spring’s helicopter crash that killed 17 offshore oil workers and aircrew off the Newfoundland coast announced Wednesday he has asked the Defence Department to send a witness to explain the federal role in SAR
Lack of safety features cited in California EMS crash
Source: Washington Post, 28 Nov, 09
A medical helicopter that crashed this month in the dark hills north of Reno, Nev., killing three, lacked safety features recommended for years by federal experts, including night vision equipment and a system to warn the crew when the aircraft was too close to obstacles or the ground.
Bond Offshore Helicopters EC225 North Sea ditching report delayed
Source: STV, 26 Nov, 09
An official report to determine why a helicopter with 18 people on board ditched into the North Sea has been delayed, the Government announced on Tuesday.
Recent crashes fuel push for more regulation of medical helicopter industry
Source: Dallas Morning News, 22 Nov, 09
Sikorsky S92 reportedly failed FAA dry gearbox test by 20 minutes
Source: Canadian Press, 22 Nov, 09
A test to certify the model of helicopter involved in a fatal crash off Newfoundland showed it would remain airborne for “around 10 minutes” – about one third of the time required – if oil leaked from its gearbox, aviation regulators say.