PAX and pilot survival equipment
Just back in from an offshore job in Canada, I had a UK based guy with me who had to do our survival training course as we use different survival equipment over here. Thought I'd share some feedback he gave me as we chatted about the recent helo incidents.
He thought our survival suit (Helly Hansen HTS-1) was very bulky, with it's built in lifejacket, and added accessories (HUEBA, PLB). He found the HUET training over here much more realistic in comparison to the UK BOSIET course, especially the additional number of capsizes and having to do a sea day, similar to the. Norwegian course.
He found the HUEBA much more useful in comparison to the Airpocket plus, but didn't like not being able to use a nose clip or mask in the chair inversion HUEBA training (we're not allowed to use the HUEBA in the HUET exercises due to the remote possibility of damaging your lungs if you hold your breath and don't exhale when > 1 metre submersion). For clarification in the Newfoundland training centres you are allowed to use the nose clip/mask in the HUEBA training exercises, it's the Nova Scotian training centre that doesn't let you use these aids, I'm assuming that they want you to be ready for the worst case deployment scenario.
The S92 configuration we use over here has the aux fuel tank mounted on the starboard side, and that reduces the number of PAX to 17. He commented on how much more cabin room there was in comparison to the NS buses, even with the bulky HTS1 suit on. He did comment on how the window sizes were a challenge to egress with the bulkier suit, but obviously not impossible. The bigger you are the harder it is, so for me even at 240 lbs and a 52" chest I still manage even the smallest window as you have to go through that in the HUET training.
As for the Airpocket plus versus the HUEBA, I'm certified on both, but prefer the HUEBA as you don't have to pop the valve and you have a good couple of minutes of breathing if you keep calm.
The oil companies over here are currently looking for a replacement to the HTS1 survival suit as the ones we use are now at least 4 years old and must be coming up for certification expiry, I hope the next suit has less bulkiness and moves away from the large integrated rubber boots that are IMO far too bouyant.
My question to the pilots is "are you satisfied with your current survival suit/equipment?" I understand with the longer flying hours in comparison to PAX that some additional degree of comfort and protection from overheating is necessary, and that you generally have HEEDS mini-scuba sets. I know how fatigued and overheated we get in the back, especially if we boomerang and cannot land due to weather/visibility, so the last thing I would wish is same on the bus drivers.
Looking forward to lessons learned and further improvements in our primary mode of transport to do our jobs, both for PAX and bus drivers.
Safe flying
Max