Old news and already on hold by one year:
The FAA announced on Thursday 17th that it will grant helicopter operators an extra year to comply with the first requirements on the new helicopter safety rule, commonly referred to as the HEMS rule. The official announcement will be published in the Federal Register on Monday, April 21.
Originally set to take effect on April 22, 2014, the first requirements will now not take effect until April 22, 2015. The change comes in response to industry input and will allow the FAA to develop guidance documents that will allow for an orderly implementation.
The extension only affects those parts of the rule that were to go into effect next Tuesday. All other implementation dates remain the same.
There remain some portions of the rule that require additional clarification. HAI, AAMS, and AMOA will continue to press the FAA for the needed additional information in the coming months.