In his article on civil helicopter safety (Flight International, 22-28 October), David Learmount says that helicopter safety "lags well behind the airlines, and reports into some accidents or incidents show breathtaking carelessness".
He continues: "The accident listing shows that helicopter pilots are disturbingly willing to take risks when there is a safer alternative", and quotes two accidents, one of which occurred to a Super Puma aboard the West Navion drilling ship on 10 November, 2001. The reference to the West Navion implies that the co-pilot was taking some sort of unjustifiable risk by leaving the cockpit to conduct a walk-round check.
Our investigation into this accident is still in progress and the circumstances involved are complex, but there is no evidence to suggest that the crew was taking any undue risks. The crew was carrying out a normal rotors-running refuelling in accordance with its company standard operating procedures and the captain of the helicopter remained on board, at the controls, throughout the helicopter's time on deck.
John Blackwell Senor inspector of air accidents for chief inspector of air accidents Air Accidents Investigation Branch Aldershot, UK
Source: Flight International
