EASA North Sea Offshore Helicopter Operations Review
EASA North Sea Offshore Helicopter Operations Review Today the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) open the sealed bids for a new research study, EASA.2015.HVP.01, entitled: Helicopter North Sea Operations Management Current Practices Safety Review EASA say: Apart from analysis of past accidents and incidents, the need of more detailed and systematic analysis of the practices employed by the different operators / industry / regulator/ authorities was identified as a means to identify long-term safety improvements and promote harmonisation. They say the study: …is to identify, review and analyse the current practices for offshore helicopter operations namely amongst the North Sea offshore operators. The study is to be conducted in parallel to research and new developments by manufacturers, operators, oil and gas producers, regulators and authorities with regard to transport performances, safety, survivability or automation and needs to encompass the main root causes of past accidents and incidents in the North Sea. The main objective of the study is the development of a comprehensive knowledge base of current practices for helicopter off-shore operations developed in response to the different safety hazards, their respective benefits and constraints as well as the identification of a set of good/best-practices with potential for widespread application. EASA anticipate that the report will be used as “reference in the development of the flight planning, operational procedures, working methods and training programs” with practises potentially being used within the Safety Management Systems of operators and others. The study involves: A review of previously published reports An operational and safety data review Interviews with key stakeholders Two workshops with key stakeholders EASA intend to award the contract in August 2015. The project is expected to last 12 months. Aerossurance is an Aberdeen based aviation consultancy with a proven track record in offshore helicopter safety, operations, airworthiness, regulations, contracts and tenders: enquiries@aerossurance.com Follow us on LinkedIn for our latest updates....
read moreFSF Launches Offshore Helicopter Standard (BARSOHO)
FSF Launches Offshore Helicopter Operations Standard (BARSOHO) The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) has launched an offshore version of their award-winning Basic Aviation Risk Standard. Aerossurance is proud to have worked on the development of this standard (available to download on the FSF website). In their press release they say: The Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) announced today the expansion of its Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) suite of documents aimed at managing aviation risk for contracted aircraft operations. The Basic Aviation Risk Standard for Offshore Helicopter Operations (BARS OHO) continues the theme of presenting a standard in a risk-based format using applicable threats and controls. For contracted aviation operations supporting the oil and gas sector a comprehensive risk-based standard dedicated to offshore helicopters is an industry first. The aim of providing a standard dedicated to offshore helicopter operations, as opposed to guidelines, builds upon the success of the BARS Program over the past five years in support of the resource sector and provides greater focus on the threats and challenges unique to the offshore helicopter environment. Having BARS OHO focused solely on offshore helicopter operations enables the unique threats associated with this challenging environment to be identified and mitigated. Loss of control, controlled flight into water, weather, wrong deck landings and helideck obstacles are examples of some of the threats identified along with associated control and mitigation measures such as survivability and Search and Rescue. Drawing on all available industry guidance and practices and developed with global industry expertise, this resulting international standard represents leading practice and addresses recent advances within the offshore sector. “The BARS Program and the underpinning standard is a more effective and efficient way for organizations to manage their aviation risk,” said Greg Marshall, managing director of the BARS program and the Foundation’s vice president for global programs. “The BARS Program provides opportunity for productivity and efficiency gains without compromising safety assurance, while still giving greater insight into contracted aviation risk. It is also beneficial for offshore helicopter operators to be routinely contracted to a common standard, with a single audit on behalf of multiple customers.” A risk-based standard that meets or exceeds all current industry guidance and practices in particular allows those oil and gas companies that don’t have an internal aviation department to confidently focus on their operational aviation risks by contracting to an industry standard, kept current and effective by all stakeholders through a structured review and approval process. “The Flight Safety Foundation is committed to continued enhancement of BARS OHO as the offshore helicopter industry and its safety practices continue to develop,” said Marshall. The Flight Safety Foundation pioneered the first ever presentation of contract aviation standards in a risk-based fashion using the bow-tie model. This is a framework for visualizing risk management and communicating the context of the controls put in place to manage risks. The use of the bow-tie and a risk-based standard provides all stakeholders the ability to focus on the aviation risk that is being controlled. It has also proven an effective way to direct improvement initiatives. Since launching the BARS program five years ago, more than 300 safety audits have been conducted on fixed- and rotary-wing charter aircraft operators worldwide, using accredited auditors. The number of resource sector accidents has reduced and the closure of more than...
read morePlunging Oil Prices – Is it All Bad?
Plunging Oil Prices – Is it All Bad? This tantalising question was the theme for an evening event at the Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce in Aberdeen on 27 May 2015. The evening included excellent presentations from Jan Erik Berre of DNB and Birgitte Karlsen & Rob Jardine-Brown from Wikborg Rein. Some of our takeaways from the evening: Downturns are not uncommon, but this is the third largest in a generation The real questions on oil price are: how low? and for how long? A price ‘in the 70s’ is likely for several years, but energy demand will still grow (predicted to rise 35% in the next 25 years) This means now is the time to look ahead and transform The US shale business (whose success triggered this crisis) is on its way to being profitable at $60/boe but more mature basins have an even greater need to transform In such times industries tend to go through 3 stages: Stage 1: Immediate – Cut Costs (3-9 months – worth 10-15% savings) Stage 2: Adapt – Drive Efficiency (6-18 months – may reach 15-25% savings) Stage 3: Transform including M&A, restructuring and changed operating models (12-36 months – could achieve 25-40% savings) The industry generally is probably near the end of Stage 1, starting Stage 2 but Stage 3 still offers the biggest prospects Currently initiatives on standardisation, applying less complex, more practical solutions and being fit for purpose rather than gold plating are coming to the fore A range of scenarios when customers try to renegotiate, suspend or terminate were discussed, with interesting differences between English and Norwegian Law noted Critical however is good contract management discipline, plus remembering its cheaper to get good legal advice than to take legal action… There are still many project awaiting Final Investment Decisions Unlike the last big dip the banks are in a position to lend and the cost of financing is low Aerossurance is an Aberdeen based aviation consultancy with a proven track record in supporting the oil and gas industry in safety, operations, airworthiness, regulations, contracts and tenders: enquiries@aerossurance.com Follow us on LinkedIn for our latest updates....
read moreOil & Gas UK Aviation Seminar 2015
Oil & Gas UK Aviation Seminar 2015 Oil and Gas UK hold their annual aviation seminar in Aberdeen on 2 June. Aerossurance covered last year’s event, which focused on rebuilding confidence and we will be attending again this year. For this year they pose the question: What progress has been made since last year’s Aviation Seminar to ensure we are providing safe, efficient and reliable helicopter services to support UK offshore oil and gas operations? HOW ARE WE DOING? The programme includes a range of speakers from the UK CAA, HeliOffshore, helicopter operators, manufactures, the Maritime Coastguard Agency and others. Full details can be obtained from the Oil & Gas UK website. UPDATE: the slides can be found here. Aerossurance is an Aberdeen based aviation consultancy with a proven track record in offshore helicopter safety, operations, airworthiness, regulations, contracts and tenders. For aviation advice you can trust: enquiries@aerossurance.com Follow us on LinkedIn and on Twitter @Aerossurance for our latest updates....
read moreAntarctic Helicopter Accidents
Antarctic Helicopter Accidents The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has just issued a report into an accident involving an Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 VH-HRQ of Helicopter Resources, supporting polar exploration in Antarctica on 1 December 2013. We look at that and also Antarctic accidents involving 1 French and 3 German helicopters. Australian Accident – History of the Flight The helicopter was one of a pair returning from Cape Darnley to Davis Station, the most southerly station operated by the Australian Antarctic Division, having refuelled at a fuel cache en route on the Amery ice shelf. It had one pilot and two passengers aboard. According to the ATSB: As a result of a rapid reduction in visual cues, the pilot of [ZH-]HRQ maintained about 150 ft above ground level. The pilots of both helicopters discussed the reduced surface definition and loss of visible horizon along their flight path and elected to return to the fuel cache until the weather improved. During the turn back to the fuel cache, HRQ descended and impacted the ice shelf. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured and the helicopter destroyed. The second helicopter landed near-by but bad weather prevented recovering the casualties for 20 hours. Temperatures was around -8 degrees Celsius. Australian Accident – Analysis The ATSB believe that, after initiating the right turn back to the fuel cache, the pilot probably became spatially disoriented and thus didn’t detect the decent, commenting: Factors contributing to the disorientation included a loss of visual cues as a result of the change in weather conditions, and a breakdown of the pilot’s scan of his flight instruments, resulting in collision with terrain. When interviewed by the press, the ATSB’s Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan said the pilot was faced with a challenging situation: The basic cause was a loss of situational awareness by the pilot in conditions where there was no visible horizon, so essentially a white-out, and [he turned] to try and get back to a safe position but in the course of that the helicopter collided with terrain. In those situations there’s a very high workload on pilots, you’ve got a combination of checking externally to see what’s happened, to respond to a situation where the visibly has suddenly dropped, and there’s a range of things you also need to check internally in terms of the management of the aircraft. The aircraft was approved in Australia for Day and Night VFR operations but was not equipped with an autopilot, nor was one required by local regulation. The ATSB had previously reported on an accident involving an AS355, chartered by a TV company, during Night VFR operation were the lack of an autopilot was contributory. The pilot was experienced (4800 hours+) but had completed just eight hours of instrument flying in an AS350. Doran commented: That’s a comparatively low number of hours and so the lack of instrument flight would have been a potential contributor here. ATSB note in their report: The operator had recognised the hazards associated with flight in Antarctic conditions and had implemented turn-backs/night training to addresses the associated risk. This training was conducted using flight instruments to maintain height in the turn. On the accident flight, a timely decision by the pilot to reference both the flight instruments and the clear horizon to the right, rather than flying by visual reference only, would most likely...
read moreHappy Birthday – 1 Year of News and Comment
Happy Birthday – 1 Year of News and Comment from Aerossurance One year today we published the first article in our News and Comment series. Our very first article was: Offshore Helicopter Accident Ghana 8 May 2014 & The Importance of Emergency Response. We were keen to emphasise the importance of emergency response provision, especially at remote operating sites. As always we strive to update our stories with new information and in October 2014 we added otherwise little-publicised details released by the accident commission. Over the past year we have published 190 original articles which we hope our readers have enjoyed and found of use. Certainly we have been gratified by regular positive feedback, which have confirmed that topical, fact-rich, opinion-lite articles with good links to public domain sources are appreciated. We post links to all our original content on our corporate LinkedIn page, so if you have comments on our articles please share them. On the same page we also share other carefully selected safety, aviation and oil & gas news and links. The mix is eclectic but we hope that if we find them of interest you will too! So now we can do a countdown of Aerossurance’s 10 most popular stories: Number 10: James Reason’s 12 Principles of Error Management Twelve sound principles that are always worth revisiting. Number 9: Helicopter Ditching Limitations Topical not only because of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) rule making team on offshore survivability but also due to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) the CAP1145 report published 20 February 2014 and this year’s CAP1243, Offshore Helicopter Review Progress Report (which have influenced a number of our stories). Never underestimate the power of the sea: Number 8: Breaking the Chain: X-31 Lessons Learned Dramatic flight test video and frank discussion of the lessons learnt make this NASA accident worth close attention. Number 7: Accident Report: Fatal Police Helicopter Double Engine Flameout Over City Centre While returning from a routine patrol over a crowded city both engines flamed out on a police helicopter. Due to the helicopter’s low altitude and the congested environment the aircraft crashed into buildings with multiple fatalities. We examine at the accident investigator’s final report and highlight the value of studying accidents internationally. You might have assumed was the tragic accident in Glasgow, UK, 29 November 2013. In fact it was an AgustaWestland A109K2 JA11PC of the Shizuoka Prefectural Police in Shizuoka City on 3 May 2005. Number 6: NTSB Report on 2013 S-76 Tail Rotor Blade Loss The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported on a fatal Sikorsky S-76A++ accident. During a post-maintenance check flight of avionics 2 tail rotor blades separated and the TGB began to disintegrate. All 3 POB died. Number 5: Heli-Expo 2015 Photo Report Back in March we had a very fruitful week in Orlando. We had a series of stakeholder meetings on the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Basic Aviation Risk Standard Offshore Helicopter Operations (BARSOHO) project, got to renew our IS-BAO audit qualifications, met up with friends and colleagues both new and old, and walked the floor the HAI Heli-Expo. UPDATE 27 May 2015: BARSOHO is launched. This article covered the unveiling of the visually stunning Airbus Helicopters H160, AW announcing a platform development agreement for the AW609 TiltRotor with Bristow Group, certification of the 7t AW139, Sikorsky recognising Bristow Helicopters’ (then) upcoming launch of the new UK search and rescue (SAR) contract and...
read moreMaintenance Human Factors: The Next Generation
Maintenance Human Factors: The Next Generation On 12 May 2015 at Cranfield University, the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) discussed Human Factors in Engineering – the Next Generation. Aerossurance is pleased to have sponsored this thought provoking RAeS Human Factors Group: Engineering event. While the seminar was intended to connect the new generation of aerospace professionals and experienced HF practitioners, it posed a deeper question: Do we need a new generation approach to maintenance human factors too? In his opening address Cranfield University’s Professor Dave King (a former Chief Inspector of Air Accidents with the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch [AAIB]) talked about a generation of attention on maintenance HF incidents since the infamous BAC-111 window failure in 1990. This was by no means the first accident investigation were maintenance HF issues were examined. However, that accident (and a structural failure to a Boeing 737-200 in Hawaii in 1988) mark the beginning of a period were the human factors aspects of a number of high profile maintenance related accidents and serious incidents were examined in detail. These investigations went beyond the outdated idea that ‘error is a cause’ to a more searching examination of the circumstances why error was a consequence. Professor King however made the point that a generation on, similar occurrences were still repeating. Consequently he highlighted that as well as thinking about the next generation in the industry we also need to think about a next generation approach to human factors in engineering. For example, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has commented that: Human Factors training alone is not considered sufficient to minimise maintenance error. Most of the [contributing factors] can be attributed to the safety culture and associated behaviours of the organisation. The RAeS Human Factors Group: Engineering also discussed preliminary results from an online survey. The feedback to date suggested a need to: Share data better across the industry. Integrate HF more fully into Safety Management Systems. Get better at actually implementing improvements. At the time of writing this short survey is still currently open so you can still have your say. The following case study considers Professor King’s question, using some material presented in other sessions of the seminar. Engine Cowling Case Study – Background In one presentation during the seminar, Easyjet talked about an incident when an engine fan cowling was lost from an Airbus A320 departing from Milan in August 2003 and their response. UPDATE 11 December 2016: ANSV Report on EasyJet A320 Cowling Loss: Maintenance Human Factors Cowlings have been lost from a wide range of aircraft types (for example Airbus A330, ATR72, Boeing 717, Boeing 737, Bombardier CRJ, Embraer 195 and McDonnell Douglas DC-8). However, remarkably there had been over 30 previous cases on the A320 family (both CFM56 and V2500 engines). In fact just three months prior to the Easyjet occurrence, a British Airways A319 suffered a double cowling loss at London Heathrow. AAIB had previously reported on an occurrence in 2000 (at that time the 8th on the A320 family) and made a number of recommendations. A week after the BA event AAIB issued a further recommendation in a Special Bulletin: Safety Recommendation 2013-011: It is recommended that Airbus formally notifies operators of A320-family aircraft of the fan cowl door loss event on A319 G-EUOE on 24 May 2013, and reiterates the importance of verifying that the fan cowl doors are latched prior to flight by visually checking the position of the...
read moreHeliOffshore Inaugural Conference 2015
HeliOffshore Inaugural Conference 2015 HeliOffshore held its inaugural conference 9-10 May 2015 in Lisbon. HeliOffshore, launched in October 2014, is the new industry association for organisations with an interest in working together on safety in offshore helicopter transport. Over 150 people attended the event, including CEOs and COOs from operators and helicopter manufacturers and four representatives from oil and gas companies. As a HeliOffshore member, Aerossurance was pleased to participate in this event in which wide commitment to safety through collaboration was evident. Introduction HeliOffshore, founded by the 5 largest players in offshore helicopter operations (Babcock, Bristow, CHC, ERA and PHI), now has over 50 members, including 25 helicopter operators flying in over 30 countries, with 1,200 aircraft, transporting 4.5 million passengers per annum. Chairman of HeliOffshore, Bill Chiles, welcomed the participants: HeliOffshore is already helping to further improve safety and share best practice around the globe. While the industry will continue to compete vigorously on commercial issues, we are putting competition aside to collaborate on safety. In an opening panel session with HeliOffshore, the CEOs of Airbus Helicopters and Heli-Union and representatives of BP and Shell, there was broad agreement that the safe return of passengers and crew is the primary goal. It was also noted that while crises result in close cooperation it is essential to build the trust for close routine collaboration on safety. Leadership The first discussion topic was on the importance of leadership. When the audience were asked to vote electronically on where the greatest opportunities are for safety improvement, 10% voted for systems and processes, 17% for technology and 74% for culture. Significantly safety culture is one area that the offshore helicopter community has been particularly attentive to for some time (e.g.: Beyond SMS – May 2008). The concept of aiming for zero accidents was also discussed. It was said that: “Good is not good enough. Zero is the only defensible target”. Working Together HeliOffshore Chief Executive Officer Gretchen Haskins then lead a session on ‘working together’. This included an overview of 6 current workstreams, which were introduced by reference to a bow-tie, developed by Aerossurance, for the soon to be issued Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) Basic Aviation Risk Standard Offshore Helicopter Operations (BARSOHO). UPDATE 27 May 2015: BARSOHO is launched. UPDATE 1 February 2017: BARSOHO Version 3 is now fully aligned with the HeliOffshore Safety Performance Model, released in 2016. Five of the workstreams were inherited from the Babcock/Bristow/CHC Joint Operators Review (launched in 2013) and the one on HUMS was inherited from HeliOffshore’s predecessor the European Helicopter Operators’ Committee (EHOC): Automation (which includes establishing the automation philosophies of each manufacturer, the introduction of the first offshore Flight Crew Operating Manual [FCOM] and Evidence Based Training) Operational Performance Monitoring (which includes Line Orientated Safety Audits [LOSA] and research into pilot scan techniques) Flight Path Monitoring (which includes Helicopter Terrain Awareness Warning System [HTAWS] algorithms, Loss of Control identification and recovery and a study of Wrong Deck Landings) Application of Health and Usage Monitoring (over 21 meetings, representatives of 8 organisations have been defining best practice for HUMS) Information Exchange (focusing on sharing safety data, leading and lagging indicators and trend analysis) Operational Standards (including three themes: a) customer operational differences [in discussion IOGP stated that their Aircraft Management Guidelines are to be ‘simplified’), b) survivability standards and c) customer audits) In particular two research programmes are currently being supported. One is...
read moreUK AAIB Report on Two Ground Collisions
UK AAIB Report on Two Ground Collisions In their May 2015 Bulletin the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) published two separate reports of night-time collisions between aircraft and obstacles on the apron / ramp last winter. Both highlight factors that can increase risk. Collision 1 The AAIB report that after refuelling at Newquay Airport on 31 December 2014, the pilot of an Capital Air Ambulance Beech King Air 200, G-KVIP, commenced taxying to depart. The right propeller struck mobile airfield barrier system (MABS) equipment. As well as propeller damage, the aircraft also suffered damage to the right main landing gear door and the right side of the nose. The AAIB conclude: The position of the bowser during refuelling probably obstructed the pilot’s view of the MABS whilst he was carrying out his external inspection. Also, the structure of the aircraft probably partially or completely obstructed his view of the MABS from his seated position in the left pilot’s seat. Unaware of the MABS he did not select his taxi route to avoid it and the right propeller struck the MABS panel, detachment of which caused the other damage to the aircraft. Collision 2 The AAIB report that after engine start at Coventry Airport on 15 January 2015, the crew of West Atlantic cargo British Aerospace ATP G-BTPC gave the ground crew the signal to remove wheel chocks. When they were removed, the aircraft moved forward and collided with a ground power unit. After the accident the flight crew realised that the parking brake was not set. The AAIB comment that: The commander noted that there had been an expectation that the parking brake would have been set to on when the crew first arrived at the aircraft. The parking brake was not an item on the turnaround checklist which the crew had carried out earlier, although it was an item on the pre-start checklist which had therefore not been carried out correctly. The commander also observed that the signal to remove the chocks was given before the GPU had been moved clear of the aircraft. Although the flight crew had not felt rushed, the commander believed that they had been under a time pressure due to the imminent airport closure [it was 0145 and the airfield was due to shut at 0200], and that this had been a contributory factor. Safety Resources UPDATE 7 May 2017: Ground Collision Under Pressure: Challenger vs ATV: 1-0 UPDATE 17 July 2017: S-92A Collision with Obstacle while Taxying UPDATE 16 May 2021: Cessna 208B Collides with C172 after Distraction Aerossurance has extensive air safety, operations, airworthiness, human factors, aviation regulation and safety analysis experience. For practical aviation advice you can trust, contact us at: enquiries@aerossurance.com Follow us on LinkedIn and on Twitter @Aerossurance for our latest...
read moreReady Salted ATR72 and WP-3D
Ready Salted ATR72 and WP-3D The Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) have reported on a serious incident involving Aer Arann (later Stobart Air) ATR72-212A, EI-REL on 2 January 2014. The findings are highly relevant not only to fixed wing aircraft operating at moderate altitudes over the sea but also offshore helicopter operators. The ATR72… ….carried out a go-around from its first approach to Runway (RWY) 25 at Cork Airport (EICK) in stormy weather, due to a significant increase in indicated airspeed on short final. The aircraft then positioned under radar control for a second approach to the same runway. Its track brought it south of EICK, close to the coast and at times over the sea. During this time, a thick layer of sea salt formed on the front windscreens, obscuring the Flight Crew’s forward visibility. As it was not possible to acquire the necessary visual references for landing, a second go-around was flown. …the Flight Crew showed good airmanship and crew resource management (CRM) in seeking to fly to areas of shower activity which were visible on their weather radar. They were facilitated in this by ATC and they found areas of moisture which, although not active enough to completely clear the windscreen, did clear a small area of the windscreen on the Commander’s side. The Commander was then able to commence a third approach to RWY 25, using the visual cues which she could see through this small gap in the salt residue. At the time, the First Officer still had no visual reference. As they approached EICK, a shower passed over the airport, which assisted in clearing the windscreen and they were able to carry out a normal landing. The ATR72 has windscreen wipers but no wash system. The AAIU report that further inquires: … revealed an occurrence in 2007 in which a NOAA Lockheed WP-3D turboprop aircraft involved in the study of near-surface wind speeds over the North Atlantic Ocean some 500 nautical miles (nm) east of St John’s, Newfoundland lost power on three of its four engines. The aircraft was operating primarily at altitudes of around 2,500 – 3,000 ft in very high wind speeds (85 to 95 kts) in the on-station area. As the aircraft was unable to maintain altitude on the power of only one engine, it began a descent at a rate of about 700 feet per minute. The crew carried out the restart procedure for the No. 1 engine, at which time the aircraft passed through an area of liquid precipitation for less than 60 seconds. The engine restart was successful and subsequently the crew were able to restart No. 3 and No. 4 engines and the aircraft recovered safely to St. John’s. An investigation report published by NOAA (Mishap Investigation Report 01-07) found that salt accretion on the compressor stator and rotor vanes of the engines during the incident flight was considered a causal factor in this occurrence. It is noteworthy that the Report mentions the fact that, on landing, the crew had “very limited visibility through the windshield.” NOAA then requested assistance of the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to better understand the meteorological conditions involved. The NRL subsequently published Report NRL/MR/7540-07-9080: There is very little collected data on sea salt aerosol particles in high wind conditions, and much of the data at moderate...
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