twang
The old L2 LH accessory module problem has long since been cured (though not without some difficulties along the way - I think it was the 3rd mod that was finally successful). A LH accessory module failure in flight gives you loss of LH Alternator, LH hydraulic pump and oil cooler fan. Even though I suppose its possible that after a long period of flight with this failure some contamination of the gearbox could occur, in the case of REDL is was a matter of seconds from fat, dumb and happy to disaster. No way was that a LH accessory module failure.
Although I suppose the latest actions are a good thing for
PR and even possibly flight safety, personally I would (and just have done) fly the 225 without the extra inspections, based on the long history of the L, L2 and 225 marques without a catastrophic failure. All flying machines can kill you, especially vtol ones, the L2 and 225 are no worse than any others, and certainly better than some.
There is an element of the Princess Diana syndrome about all this and I suspect the Operators are doing what they are doing largely for the
PR. I am sure that if there was a bus crash that killed 16, there wouldn't be cries to stop the busses running - it would barely make the papers, despite the fact that for those directly affected, it would be no less dreadful than REDL.
Wigwam, I am quite sure that its no co-incidence that the voluntary "24 hr grounding" aka extra maintenance checks are over the weekend. Since they have not been deemed necessary since the inception of the L2 in 1992,
17years ago its hard to see how a few extra days to move it to the weekend to minimise the impact not only on you going offshore, but also your colleagues stuck offshore, could make any difference.
I'm sorry that your confidence in helicopter transport is shaken, but its still far safer to be in the helicopter than it is to be on an offshore installation (perhaps not per hour, but certainly per trip). We take many risks in life from smoking to crossing the road when drunk to driving too fast etc, but we are very bad at assessing the actual risk of each of these activities.
If you want to give up offshore work because you are a nervous flyer, that's fine and your decision. But don't give it up because you think that the helicopter travel is the most dangerous aspect of your life - you would just be kidding yourself.
HC