CAA Produce Offshore Helicopter Safety Safety Measures

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has produced a series of measures to improve offshore helicopter safety.

Working in conjunction with their European counterparts, the authorities looked at the issue of safety following the fatal Super Puma crash last year.

The measures include:

• Prohibiting helicopter flights in the most severe sea conditions, so that the chance of a ditched helicopter capsizing is reduced and a rescue can be safely undertaken

• Pending further safety improvements to helicopters, passengers will only be able to fly if they are seated next to an emergency window exit to make it easier to get out of a helicopter in an emergency (unless helicopters are fitted with extra flotation devices or passengers are provided with better emergency breathing systems)

• Requiring all passengers to have better emergency breathing equipment to increase underwater survival time unless the helicopter is equipped with side floats

There will also be changes to the way pilots are trained and checked.

The CAA will also take on the role of approving each offshore helideck, ensuring they meet strict safety standards.

The full review is available on the CAA website www.caa.co.uk

(MH/IT)