International Helicopter Safety Team Aims to Reduce the Worldwide Accident Rate
Alexandria, VA - During the past 20 years on a worldwide basis, long-term helicopter accident rates remained unacceptably high and trends had not shown significant improvement. The persistence of this issue and the need to improve this record was the central theme of the International Helicopter Safety Symposium held in Montreal, Canada, in September 2005. Those in attendance at the event unanimously accepted a call to action; this indicated that the helicopter community at large recognized that improvement was necessary and that it was ready to accept the challenge to improve the safety of helicopter operations. As a result, the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) was formed to lead a government and industry cooperative effort to address the factors that were affecting the unacceptable accident rate.
The IHST is co-chaired by a government member (the FAA) and by an industry member. Major industry participants include the Helicopter Association International, the American Helicopter Society International, the Helicopter Association of Canada, Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky Helicopter, Eurocopter, Shell Aircraft, CHC helicopter and AgustaWestland.
IHST members also established international partnerships in countries with significant helicopter operations and worked to encourage the overseas industries to carry out accident analysis and develop safety interventions. Worldwide partners now supporting the work of the IHST include government and industry participants from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Australia, India, Russia, and multiple countries in Europe and in the Middle East/North Africa region.
In 2006, the IHST announced its mission: to reduce the international civil helicopter accident rate by 80 percent by 2016. For the period 2001-05, the worldwide rate was 9.4 accidents per 100,000 operating hours and the goal for 2016 is 1.9 accidents per 100,000 operating hours. According to extensive analysis by the IHST, groups most likely to have a helicopter accident are general aviation pilots, trainees and small operators. The accident rate among these groups is higher than the rate for more prominent mission types such as emergency medical services, law enforcement and tour operators.
While completing this thorough analysis of helicopter accidents and the causes for them, the IHST and its worldwide partners developed wide-ranging safety toolkits, instructional and educational safety videos, and specific safety recommendations aimed at helping members of the helicopter industry to enhance their safety practices and reduce the accident rate. At this point in 2011-12, the accident rate has been reduced 30 percent since 2001-05. However, a helicopter accident still occurs, on average, once a day worldwide. In addition, 91 of the helicopter accidents that occurred in 2010 resulted in 222 fatalities.
Progress is being made, but if current statistical trend continues, the industry will not meet its goal of an 80-percent reduction by 2016. IHST is looking for ways to expand its presence and the utilization of its safety tools and methods into the helicopter community worldwide. More expansive marketing and communications aimed at the “grassroots” of the helicopter industry may help to improve safety awareness.
Reaching out to the entire helicopter community is a task that the government can participate in, but cannot shoulder by itself. Regulatory actions should not be the answer. When the entire helicopter industry steps up to voluntarily address safety, everyone benefits and the entire industry can expand and thrive.
More information about the IHST, its reports, its safety tools, and presentations from its 2011 safety symposium can found at www.IHST.org.