Helikoptersikkerhet internasjonalt - Gledelig utvikling

Bildet viser et eksempel på allsidig bruk av helikopter. I dette tilfellet fra 1974 på et tankfartøy. Fotograf ukjent.

Story of the Week

IHST: 30% Lower Accident Rate ‘Step in Right Direction'

According to the International Helicopter Safety Team, the rotorcraft accident rate has fallen 30 percent in the past five years (from 2006 to 2011/early 2012) when compared to 2001-2005. Describing the decrease as a “strong step in the right direction,” IHST notes that despite making progress, “if our current statistical trend continues, the industry will not meet its goal of an 80 percent reduction by 2016.” The organization points out that on average, a helicopter accident happens once a day worldwide, adding that 91 of the accidents that took place during 2010 resulted in the deaths of 222 people.

IHST analysis indicates that higher accident rates are evident among general aviation, training and small operators than for commercial missions such as EMS, law enforcement and tour operations.

According to a report from the U.S. Joint Helicopter Safety Analysis Team that studied 523 NTSB accident reports from three different years (2000, 2001 and 2006), personal flying and training accounted for the two highest percentages of the total helicopter accidents by industry/mission type, at 18.5 and 17.6 percent, respectively.

Aerial application is the only other mission type to reach a double-digit share (10.3 percent), with many larger operators coming in lower, including EMS at 7.6 percent, commercial at 7.5 percent, law enforcement at 6.5 percent and air tour at 5.9 percent. Offshore (at 4.2 percent) and firefighting (at 3.6 percent) are among the lower half of the 15 categories.

IHST is calling for the entire helicopter community to get involved in raising awareness. The organization offers a series of safety toolkits, reports and presentations at www.ihst.org and is seeking to launch a “more expansive” grassroots campaign targeted at improving safety. “When the entire helicopter industry steps up to voluntarily address safety, everyone benefits,” the group notes in a statement.