Just some thoughts from a study into the challenges faced by China which is about to rapidly expand the nation’s SAR and HEMS capability. In reality, the country is raising the equivalent of a small air force from almost nothing. (US 12,000 helicopters – China 127).
Their last fatal - an AW139, 17 Aug '11 four dead, believed to be a training flight, is now being investigated. Our thoughts are with their families, etc.
As history shows this can be a very costly business. Statistical evidence from the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and later conflicts show that rapid expansion can result in enormous losses. This is usually caused poor supervision and training coupled with inexperience.
So what is the implication for China? Where do we start our research? What are the implications for the safety of aeromedical flight crewmembers?
It is estimated by the Association of Air Medical Services (USA), helicopters transport 400,000 patients annually in the United States. The growth in the HEMS industry has been spectacular. From 1995 to 2008 the number of helicopters used in aeromedical services increased by 130%.
Just over a decade ago the Americans were losing one aeromedical helicopter every week. In recent years, the loss rate has decreased substantially. In 2008 there were nine fatal accidents which killed 35 people. The following year in 2009 nine fatal accidents killing another eleven.
These figures could be compared with say; Qantas, and the expectations of their fare paying public. If you compare the HEMS loss rate over a typical year with Qantas carrying 38 million passengers without a single loss of an aircrew member, then you can see why the United States regulators have been reconsidering HEMS operations.
To put it bluntly, recent HEMS experience shows one crew member was killed for every 20,000 patients carried. By comparison, if Qantas had the same loss rate then almost 2,000 Qantas aircrew would have died to achieve the same uplift capability – 38 million??
This latent problem is probably being overlooked by the emerging Chinese HEMS industry which is probably focused on the setting up of the manpower and logistic resources to commence an aeromedical system.
With the power of hindsight, international advisers will need to tell the leaders of the emerging industry within China, the road ahead has many potentially fatal potholes. (As happened last week). And the loss of three Thai helicopters in one week recently?
They will need to harness the knowledge and skills that have been developed by the Western nations in accident prevention techniques associated with the SAR and HEMS operations. There is no doubt past lessons were written in blood!
Western organisations must be ready to provide guidance to the new organisers of the emerging industry, now being established as the airspace is being progressively released. No doubt AAMS and other international agencies will also need to lend a hand to ensure the traditional risk management procedures are covered in their safety system management protocols.
The international safety agencies will probably have to push very hard to get their point of view across to a group of people who have never experienced the pain of operating an aeromedical industry without the appropriate checks and balances. Today, the US is still suffering losses which must be measured against “risk verses gain” and is there an alternative to a high risk flight?
What are your thoughts??