IHST need to pull their socks up

[Shell Management]

The International Helicopter Safety Team was formed in 2005 with the aim of cutting accidents by 80% in 10 years.:ok:

This is the blindly and optimistically positive message that was said after just two years (courtesy of Flight International's reporting):

After stagnating for two decades, US helicopter accident rates fell by 32% and were down 13.7% in the rest of the world in 2006. And a study by Bell Helicopter Textron for the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) says those rates of improvement look to have been sustained through the first half of 2007.

Speaking at the 19-21 September International Helicopter Safety Seminar in Montreal, Bell's head of flight safety, Roy Fox, suggested that the IHST safety improvement programme, designed to reduce the world helicopter accident rate by 80% by 2016, may have played a part in this sudden change. Although none of the early findings of the IHST's Joint Helicopter Safety Analysis Team (JHSAT), revealed at the Montreal meeting, have yet been implemented, Fox said: "When you start thinking about safety, you get safer. That's my take on it."


But the IHST seems to have stalled as Flight described this week with FAA:yuk:, FlightSafety Inc:yuk: and Sikorsky:yuk: all blaming the operators:

Despite small safety performance improvements after a long period of safety performance stagnation, global helicopter operators are nowhere near on-track to meet the 80% accident-rate reduction target set six years ago, according to figures released at the seminar.

Sikorsky safety specialist Steve Gleason summed up the data-driven conclusions: "We're not finding new ways to crash helicopters. We're just doing the same thing over and over."

Terry Palmer of FlightSafety International told the seminar that there needs to be a radical review of training credits for training carried out in the increasingly improved simulators and flight training devices for helicopters on the market today, because the largest proportion of rotary wing accidents take place during training.

The way to achieve the desired 80% accident rate reduction target by 2016 is "to get the operators to take ownership of the solution", said US Federal Aviation Administration chief Randy Babbitt in his address to the International Helicopter Safety Seminar in Fort Worth, Texas, earlier this month.

The FAA's IHST representative Sue Gardner says that the main issue now is finding ways to get these messages out to the small operators, which represent more than 80% of the global helicopter industry.

Its now time for the decision makers to step up to the plate, to stop the talk and start the action.:ok:

Its also perhaps time for some of the ineffective IHST leadership:yuk: to step aside and let the more adept and visionary leaders:D, from around the world to take the reigns.

[Geoffersincornwall]

There is no point in having regulation if you don't have effective oversight carried out by qualified personnel who have worked in the industry and know it well enough to gain the respect of the operators, manufacturers and training schools.

Likewise there is no point in having effective oversight if the sanctions available for transgressions are weak and fail to incentivise compliance.

I appreciate that we do not want to put too much financial pressure on the industry but remember the old adage "If you think compliance is expensive - try having an accident". The correct balance must be in favour of oversight for the saving will then accrue in lower costs (no accidents to pay squillions for) and cheaper insurance.

G.

[EN48]

The FAA's IHST representative Sue Gardner says that the main issue now is finding ways to get these messages out to the small operators,


This is key. IHST can analyze and recommend ad infinitum, but if the operators choose not to listen or comply, who's fault is that?

I am a relative newbie to the helo world but took the time to become a serious student of helicopter safety. I am surprised at how many "pros" I encounter in the helicopter world who dont even know IHST exists.

I am a strong supporter of IHST's efforts and while it maybe be possible to do better, no one else seems to be willing to make the effort. Seems to me to be best to support IHST efforts with specific, welll reasoned, actionable suggestions for improving results rather than to lob grenades at them. (IMHO)

[Geoffersincornwall]

We don't need more regulations - we just need the ones that are relevant properly applied.

G.

[EN48]

We don't need more regulations - we just need the ones that are relevant properly applied.



Sure agree with this, but wonder why we need to be compelled by regs to be safe (safer)? One would think that folks would want to know all they can about protecting their ass. Regs will never induce the safety mindset - depends more on motivation and awareness. Simplistic way I think about it: 1) people die in helicopters, most often because the pilot screws up; 2) I dont want to die; 3) I am going to know as much about safety as I can.

[Savoia]

1) people die in helicopters, most often because the pilot screws up; 2) I dont want to die; 3) I am going to know as much about safety as I can.

You can start with the two Golden Rules of Safety:

1. Fly an airworthy aircraft.

2. Fly within your own and the aircraft's parameters.

[EN48]

1. Fly an airworthy aircraft.

2. Fly within your own and the aircraft's parameters.

Well ... of course. If everyone did this, IHST's accident reduction goals might be reached. Problem is, they dont!

[seawings]

I seriously doubt that any pilot or manager starts their day out “intending” to have an accident. Life, however, has a way of interjecting variables. “Variables” are manageable via risk assessments and a culture of safety first!

We all know what a perfect flight “should” look like…so when the first variable occurs it “SHOULD” trigger a risk response…”what just happened” and what it could mean to the remainder of the flight. One variable is easily dealt with; two start a potential error chain and so on.

A strong safety culture, supporting the pilots’ decision to call for confirmation, consult with other more experienced pilots and finally deviate a necessary to avoid the variable (risk) is necessary. A “just culture” element in an operation is essential.

As we know many accidents are at the end of an “error chain”…early recognition (risk awareness) and action (safety culture) will often stop the inevitable.

[rotor-rooter]

Some might consider the biggest issue concerning the IHST is it's basic credibility. The membership is so far removed from the reality of operational flying, rather than academic review - that many of them really don't ever talk to anyone experiencing the real world on a daily basis.

Until the IHST activities are integral into the daily operations of personnel in the field - NOTHING positive will happen that can be attributed to them.

Helicopter companies are more and more getting run by people without the faintest concept of helicopter operation and safety, that is it any wonder that this disconnect exists? Most of them could not identify any particular model or any of the features that might promote or compromise safety.

So for the time being - let's just keep the hand-wringing going on as we perform every post mortem and ananlysis.

Talk is cheap!

[squib66]

SM - are Shell not represented on the IHST management board AND a major financial sponsor?

[Shell Management]

Yes, thats why this is SOOOO frustrating.

[squib66]

Mars posted this on the 'another GOM ditching' thread


A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy finds that helicopters that service the drilling platforms and vessels in the Gulf of Mexico crash on average more than six times per year resulting in an average of 5 deaths per year. From 1983 to 2009, 178 crashes resulted in 139 deaths, including 41 pilots and 3 co-pilots. Mechanical failure was the most common cause, leading to 68 crashes (38 percent of the total), followed by bad weather (16 percent of the total).

This is totally different to the IHST conclusions, which seem to suit the OEMs, that its the operators who have the work to do.

[Shell Management]

IHST is co-chaired by unelected officials from the US FAA (whose representative have changed four times in 6 years) and the very un-international HAI.

[Shell Management]

A humble correction: The co-chairs are elected but by the almost exclusively unelected and self appointed executive committee. All very incestuous.

[[email protected]]

Helicopters are expensive to operate and even more expensive to operate safely.

As long as bean counters are controlling helicopter operations they will try to save money, whether it be on servicing or training or equipment levels etc.

Unless the appropriate rules and regulatory body are there to prevent safety being compromised in the pursuit of profit margins, we will continue to crash helicopters in the same old ways.

Where a conflict of interests occurs - eg the aforementioned presence of Shell as both part of the safety regulators and as an operator out to make profit - it is no wonder that mixed messages are sent.

[Shell Management]

Just like RAF and Nimrod then. The accountants are certainly in charge of the RAF and have been for decades.

Shell Aircraft International, founded by Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL (21 February 1910 – 5 September 1982), has been independently monitoring safety for 60+ years.

[vfr440]

SM
I think that should be BADER (without the 'r'), given that he is a National Hero, don't you agree? - VFR

[Thud_and_Blunder]

My dad - RAF TC Dakotas at the time - encountered Bader on occasion around 1948-9, as the latter barged into the circuit non-r/t and positioned finals in front of other a/c. Not sure I'd want to take flight safety lessons from such an operator.