As details of the TSB investigation emerge and the oil company's joint investigation starts to grow momentum, we as offshore PAX now traveling by supply vessels are being told that S-92 testing is commencing this week in St. John's (I know it already commenced last Monday as I live on the test flight paths) with the view to move forward re-enstatement if the joint operator's decide that these helos are acceptably safe to use again. There are now more questions in my mind as more information and experiences/views come to light in these forums. Here are just a few...
How can this helo be considered safe for offshore use without the FAA re-approving/confirming the MGB dry-run capability (or lack of it) now that they are surely aware of the previous failure modes in Malaysia and Australia?
The RFM stated land immediately. Did the pilots assume that low MGB lube oil temperature due to sensor location meant that their press Tx sensor was faulty? Hopefully the FDR/VDR will answer this question.
Why is there no redundancy in MGB pressure and temperature sensors for such a critical component? Has the previous history of "nuisance" alarms with the S-92s caused mis-trust with the pilots not believing their instruments?
Is it not possible to "feel" a change in MGB performance with the high background quiescent vibration present in the 92s, or are you totally reliant on increased power consumption as your main secondary indicator?
Is vibration the main issue with the titanium filter bowl bolt failures, and can the steel variants fail due to the same inherent issue?
Why did the Blackhawk have steel bolts already and this was not passed on to the 92 immediately?
How can the Blackhawk have a 30-minute dry run capability if it is indeed the same MGB?
How good are the pilot's flight suits for offshore survival capability? Could this have had an effect on their decision to head for land?
As you can imagine we as PAX are still not convinced that the S-92 is suitable for offshore use. Unless the pilot can guarantee to me that he will ditch immediately on MGB oil pressure failure I will not be flying in the S-92 again. My life is more valuable to me than an offshore trip. The problem will be if we are told that this is our normal mode of transport to work and is deemed safe by all the official regulatory bodies, then it will be a hard call for some people to give up their offshore careers or accept the additional risk, which in this day and age should not be deemed acceptable.
Last edited by maxwelg2; 30th Mar 2009 at 16:33.