AHIA - Regulatory Review

[robsrich]

EASA Prompts Controversy with Single-engine Helo Rule

AIN 7 Nov '14

Since October 28, the EASA has been strictly enforcing a rule that prohibits single-engine helicopter flights above densely populated and other “hostile” areas, thus igniting a controversy in the European helicopter operator industry.

Most vocal has been French lobbying association UFH, which was hoping that existing exemptions would be maintained. Instead, the UFH said the bulk of the operations at Paris heliport are now seriously threatened.

UFH president Dominique Orbec also pointed out that some recent high-profile helicopter accidents in urban areas involved a twin-engine helicopter, including the November 2013 crash of an EC135T2i in Glasgow.

Meanwhile, Swiss authorities rejected the EASA rule. “We have kept local rules for mountain rescue, thus allowing singles,” a spokeswoman for Swiss civil aviation agency OFAC told AIN.

The EASA insists the industry had years to prepare and a transition period is ongoing for non-commercial operations, circular flights and aerial work. “Nobody can guarantee single-engine helicopters offer an acceptable level of safety for passengers and inhabitants of densely populated areas,” an EASA spokesman maintained.

AHIA

[robsrich]

This maybe the safety case study the AHIA needs to convince CASA that some pending restrictions are not popular after only being in force for less than two weeks!

We have requested further information from the French association.

AHIA

[Robbo Jock]

Is that ruling a fall-out from EASA.2012.OP.09 Study on single-engined helicopter operations (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/538461-easa-2012-op-09-study-single-engined-helicopter-operations.html)?

[9Aplus]

It is from here ->
EASA Ops -> http://easa.europa.eu/air-operations (https://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Feasa%2Eeuropa%2Eeu%2Fair-operations&urlhash=AqoK&_t=tracking_disc)
Sourced from EU Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 on Air Operations and update with Regulation (EU) 800/2013

Any way even before that Regulations many of major EU metropolitan areas had restrictions for single engine fly over...

[CRAZYBROADSWORD]

Come on guys ! In the UK the caa is an expensive protection racket ( give us your money and we will let you fly ) EASA is a non elected bunch of suits with a complete lack of monatering or common senses and yet everyone still jumps to their beat ! Time for the industry to collectively say no to it all and let AOPA run GA !

[robsrich]

Australian nominated for ICAO Secretary General.

Mr John McCormick, recent past Director of Aviation Safety, CASA, has been nominated by the Australian Government for the position of ICAO Secretary General. This was announced during the ICAO International Aviation and Environment Seminar held 28 to 30 October 2014 held at the Concorde Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The announcement was made by the Director, International Standards, Australian Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, at the conclusion of his presentation titled “Australia and CAEP”. Media reports suggest there are four candidates for the position being from Australia, Brazil China, and India.

AHIA

[robsrich]

EASA fatigue rules may not work - despite academics claiming otherwise

The European Helicopter Association (EHA) is concerned that proposed EASA rules for flight-time limitations (FTL) now under discussion could seriously hamper EMS operations. The EHA says its case studies in Germany, Italy and Norway highlight the likelihood of more complex organization, higher costs and degraded service.

Scientific studies on pilot fatigue conducted by operators should be used to help shape more workable regulations, according to the EHA.

The EHA fears that a one-size-fits-all approach might create limitations too severe for a sector that relies on flexibility, with resultant economic, social and even safety effects. During a presentation at Helitech 2014 Andreas Hjert, a Norsk Luftambulanse pilot, used operations in Norway to illustrate the challenges associated with the new rules. Operators in that country fly approximately 7,500 missions every year from 11 bases. The size of the country makes for long commutes for pilots (between 2.5 and eight hours round trip), and “a basic schedule has matured over time,” Hjert said. Pilots work seven days on/14 off/seven on/21 off, a system that provides availability of 97 to 98 percent, Hjert said.

The projected FTL change would necessitate that operators hire extra crewmembers and each pilot would fly an estimated 40 percent less. Extra helicopters would be needed for training to maintain proficiency. “The additional €26 million [$32 million] per year it will cost will not lead to any substantial increase in performed missions,” Hjert asserted. Rather, the impact would be so substantial that the whole capacity and structure of the service would have to be re-evaluated.

Other European nations would also have to contend with unintended consequences. In Germany, the new rules would carry significant social consequences, said Hjert. “Pilots would have to do more commutes, making job and family management trickier, increasing stress, decreasing motivation and making pilot recruitment more difficult,” he emphasized. The EHA worries that Italy’s public health administration, unwilling to spend more to comply with new FTL rules, will simply cut the number of missions, at a cost of 131 lives not saved in that country.

Moreover, the association maintains that science does not support the proposed changes, citing studies that have revealed little about fatigue in HEMS operations and about “sleep inertia” when the crew receives an alarm at night while sleeping. New studies on crew fatigue are under way at both Norsk Luftambulanse–with the university of Bergen–and at Inaer Aviation Italia. Notably, the latter monitors crew activity with wristbands.

The rulemaking task schedule calls for the next meeting to take place this month at the EASA level.

HAI and AIN News report

[Achilleos]

Has anyone heard more about EASAs new FTL-rules for EMS? I have searched both the internet and the EASA webpage but the only document I can find is from when the workinggroup was established in 2012.

https://easa.europa.eu/system/files/dfu/ToR%20RMT.0346%20%28OPS.071%28a%29%29.pdf

[Achilleos]

Has anyone heard more about the new EASA rules för FTL concerning EMS?