News & Comment

Misjudgement during abrupt helicopter maneuvering

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Safety Culture, Safety Management

Misjudgement during abrupt helicopter manoeuvring (AS350B3 LN-OVO) The Accident Investigation Board Norway (the Statens Havarikommisjon for Transport) has issued its report into an accident that occurred to Airbus Helicopters AS350B3, LN-OVO, operated by Fonnafly AS, on 27 April 2013.  Their report is in Norwegian only. The helicopter was being used to transport personnel participating in the Røldal […]

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737 Descent Below Instrument Approach Minima – HF Lessons

Accidents & Incidents, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Safety Culture

737 Descent below Instrument Approach Minima – HF Lessons Human factors are discussed in the report into an incident in New Zealand. Using the autopilot, the aircraft descended on the glideslope but at decision height (200 feet Above Ground Level) the aircraft was still in cloud and the runway or approach lights were not visible. The

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Focus on Gust Locks After US GIV accident

Accidents & Incidents, Business Aviation, Fixed Wing, Logistics, Safety Management

Focus on Gust Locks After US G-IV accident On 12 May 2014, 7 people died when Gulfstream G-IV business aircraft N121JM was destroyed at Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts, after a rejected takeoff and runway excursion. Among the dead was Lewis Katz, co-owner of the US’s third-oldest daily newspaper. the Philadelphia Inquirer, who had been attending a charity event with his

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Airbus Report: Commercial Aviation Accidents 1958-2013 – A Statistical Analysis

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Safety Management

Airbus Report: Commercial Aviation Accidents 1958-2013 – A Statistical Analysis Airbus have published an analysis report on accidents to western-built commercial air transport jets since 1958. Airbus identify 4 generations of aircraft. Over time the usage of these generations has changed. Of particular interest is Airbus’ claim that the 4th generation has halved the fatal

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Fixed Wing Accident & Incident Digest

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Human Factors / Performance, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Military / Defence, News, Regulation, Safety Management

Fixed Wing Accident & Incident Digest There have been a number of interesting air accident reports or updates recently on a range of fixed wing accidents and incidents, each with unique lessons. 1) Loss of propeller control during descent causes fatal DHC-8 forced landing in Papua New Guinea On 15 June 2014 the Papua New Guinea

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Unfit for Flight or Unfit for Publication?

Accidents & Incidents, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, News, Regulation, Safety Culture, Safety Management, Survivability / Ditching

Unfit for Flight or Unfit for Publication? This week US newspaper USA Today has featured a 3 part ‘exposé’ on general aviation and its safety record by Tom Frank that claimed ‘Lies and coverups mask roots of small-aircraft crashes’: Unfit for Flight: Hidden defects linked to small-aircraft crashes over five decades Unchecked carnage: NTSB probes don’t

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EDA Announce 2014 Military Airworthiness Conference

Military / Defence, Regulation

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has announced that the annual Military Airworthiness Authorities (MAWA) Military Airworthiness Conference will be held  24-25 September 2014 in Rome. The MAWA Forum oversees the development of European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMARs) and promotes ways of achieving the harmonisation of military airworthiness regulation and certification processes across Europe. See http://www.eda.europa.eu/info-hub/news/2014/06/19/coming-soon-military-airworthiness-conference-2014

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‘Heir Force One’ – Second Helicopter for the Royal Family

Business Aviation, Helicopters, Logistics, News, Safety Management

‘Heir Force One’ – Second Helicopter for the Royal Family The British tabloids have finally caught up with regular users of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)  G-INFO Database and spotted that the Royal Family is leasing a second helicopter (AgustaWestland A109S G-XXEC). The aircraft, to be based at RAF Odiham, joins Sikorsky S-76C++ G-XXEB, itself chartered in 2009 to

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Planning for Mass Evacuations

Fixed Wing, Logistics, Mining / Resource Sector, News, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Resilience, Safety Management

Planning for Mass Evacuations A wave of mass evacuations of foreign workers from Iraq is a timely reminder of the importance of having pre-arranged evacuation arrangements in place for companies operating in the less stable of overseas locations. Similar evacuations have occurred  in a range of other countries in recent years, particularly in the Middle

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Emergency AD – Honeywell TFE731 Engines

Accidents & Incidents, Business Aviation, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, News, Regulation, Safety Management

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) 2014-12-52 on 10 June 2014 in response to a production defect on the Honeywell TFE731 engine type.  This was prompted by reports of 2nd stage Low Pressure Turbine (LPT2) blade separations due to casting anomalies at or near the root of the LPT2 blade. The EAD requires review of maintenance

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Aerossurance joins ADS

Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Maintenance / Continuing Airworthiness / CAMOs, Military / Defence, News, Regulation, Safety Management, Unmanned (Drone / RPAS / UAS / UAV)

In addition to being an already active member of Oil & Gas UK, the trade association that speaks for the whole UK offshore sector, Aerossurance has been accepted as a member of ADS, the trade body advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Industries, globally. Follow us on LinkedIn for our latest updates.

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Oil & Gas UK News: Health & Safety and Supply Chain CoP

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, Logistics, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Safety Management

Trade body Oil & Gas UK have released two new reports. The first is the annual Oil & Gas UK Health and Safety Report 2014 which covers: A detailed summary of the UK offshore oil and gas industry’s safety performance An overview of the safety-related projects being carried out across the industry An explanation of how the

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Safety Management International Collaboration Group Industry Day

Air Traffic Management / Airspace, Airfields / Heliports / Helidecks, Business Aviation, Design & Certification, Fixed Wing, Helicopters, Regulation, Safety Management

Safety Management International Collaboration Group Industry Day The Safety Management International Collaboration Group (SM ICG) held its fourth Industry Day with representatives from 27 European aviation industry organizations on 16 May 2014 in Bern, Switzerland.  The SMICG is a group of 14 aviation regulatory bodies, formed in 2009 to promote a common understanding of safety

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Helitech International 2014 Education Programme Announced

Helicopters, Safety Management

Helitech International 2014 will present an extensive Education Programme across three days of Europe’s largest helicopter show which will take place in Amsterdam from 14 – 16 October 2014.  This will be Helitech’s first outing in the Dutch capital. Supported by the European Helicopter Association (EHA), Helitech International will stage a comprehensive programme covering topics

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Size Isn’t Everything

Helicopters, Human Factors / Performance, Logistics, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Safety Management, Survivability / Ditching

Size Isn’t Everything The day after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) CAP1145 report on North Sea helicopter safety was published, the Aberdeen Press & Journal focused on one controversial action with the front page headline ‘If you are too fat you won’t fly’! But when it comes to escaping from a submerged helicopter through the push

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Offshore Industry Improving Aviation Resilience

Accidents & Incidents, Crises / Emergency Response / SAR, Helicopters, Logistics, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Resilience, Safety Management

In a session entitled “Resilience, helicopters and the challenge of transferring the workforce offshore” at Oil & Gas UK‘s first Annual Conference, attendees heard that the industry is now better prepared for major disruption.  Past disruptions have included: The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull (aka ‘E15’) volcanic eruption in Iceland and the resulting volcanic ash fall out Two ditchings in 2012 due

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EHOC to Become HeliOffshore

Helicopters, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Safety Management

EHOC to Become HeliOffshore It has been announced that the trade body, the European Helicopter Operators’ Committee (EHOC), is to become HeliOffshore, with an international membership: http://www.energyvoice.com/2014/06/helicopter-operators-fund-new-international-trade-body-safety/ One advantage of this change is an improvement in safety communication between operators globally.  This was a point that emerged from the Joint Operators Review currently underway. Some

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Gulf of Mexico Fatal Helicopter Accident (11 Jun 14)

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy

Gulf of Mexico Fatal Helicopter Accident (11 Jun 14) A search has been called off for two people missing after a helicopter accident in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) on 11 June 2014.  It is reported that divers have located two bodies. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) preliminary report: N207MY BELL 206 ROTORCRAFT CRASHED

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Rapid Progress with a Category A EBS

Design & Certification, Helicopters, Logistics, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Survivability / Ditching

Rapid Progress with a Category A EBS One of the most urgent initiatives currently underway in UK offshore helicopter safety is the introduction of Category A Emergency Breathing Systems (EBS).  Progress was discussed at Oil & Gas UK’s annual aviation seminar in Aberdeen on 4 June 2014. Oil & Gas UK is the organisation that represents the entire UK offshore industry. 

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AAIB Report on the Ditchings of EC225 G-REDW 10 May 2012 & G-CHCN 22 Oct 2012

Accidents & Incidents, Design & Certification, Helicopters, HUMS / VHM / UMS / IVHM, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Safety Management

AAIB Report on the Ditchings of EC225 G-REDW 10 May 2012 & G-CHCN 22 Oct 2012 The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) have published their combined report into the two Eurocopter EC225 helicopter ditchings in the North Sea in 2012: ….the crews of G-REDW and G-CHCN experienced a loss of main rotor gearbox oil

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Offshore Helicopter Confidence Building – Oil & Gas UK’s 2014 Aviation Seminar

Accidents & Incidents, Helicopters, News, Offshore, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Safety Management

Offshore Helicopter Confidence Building – Oil & Gas UK’s 2014 Aviation Seminar The critical importance of rebuilding confidence in helicopter transport was the theme for Oil & Gas UK’s annual aviation seminar in Aberdeen on 4 June 2014.  Oil & Gas UK is the organisation that represents the entire UK offshore industry and Aerossurance is a member of Oil

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BP’s Unmanned First in USA

Design & Certification, News, Oil & Gas / IOGP / Energy, Regulation, Unmanned (Drone / RPAS / UAS / UAV)

BP’s Unmanned First in USA BP have commenced the first commercial use of an Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) over land in the US.  Contractor AeroVironment performed the first flight for BP in Alaska on 8 June 2014 under a ‘Certificate of Waiver’ approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  While commercial UAS are in use in

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