A Review by IHST (INDIA) Prepared by Air Vice Marshal K Sridharan VM (G) President, Rotary Wing Society of India Regional Lead

Presents

ACCIDENT RATE TO CIVIL HELICOPTERS 2005 :< 3.3 per 100,000 hrs of flying 2006 :> 3.3 per 100,000 hrs of flying 2007 :> 11.7 per 100,000 hrs of flying 2008 :> 3.3 per 100,000 hrs of flying 2009 :> 3.3 per 100,000 hours of flying 2010:> 4.4 per 100,000 hours of flying 2011:> #10 per 100,000 hrs of flying. Accurate hours flown by operators to calculate the accident rate not available (ICAO must make it mandatory for signatory countries to share this information with IHST.)

SCOPE OF THE PRESENTATION 1 Profile of Indian Helicopter Industry 2 Indian Helicopter Safety Performance 3 Indian Civil Helicopter Accident Analysis & Findings 4 Action Taken 5 2011 Accidents & Human Factors Analysis

1 Profile of Indian Helicopter Industry www.rwsi.org

GROWTH OF CIVIL REGISTERED HELICOPTERS IN INDIA (TURBINE) 300 250 277 www.rwsi.org 250 230 1993-94 200 1995-96 1997-98 150 116 118 126 149 1999-20 2001-02 2003-04 2005-06 100 60 70 83 2007-08 2009-10 2010-11 50 0 1993-94 1995-96 1997-98 1999-20 2001-02 2003-04 2005-06 2007-08 2009-10 2010-11

Category of Operators & Fleet Strength NSOP Operators - 71 Fleet Strength - 212 Private NSOP Govt etc ParaMilitary Private Operators -20 Fleet Strength - 28

Type of Civil Helicopters in Use in India Schweizer (3 Models), 4 HAL (3 Models), 23 Robinson (2 Models), 9 Kazan, 9 AgustaWestland (9 Models), 34 MD Helicopters (4 Models), 7 Enstrom (1 Models), 4 Sikorsky (2 Models), 3 Eurocopter (20 Models), 72 Bell Helicopters (17 Models), 112

Single Engine / Twin Engine Civil Helicopters in the Country and its % of Fleet Strength Twin Engine Single Engine Single Engine 123 Helicopters 44% Total Civil Fleet Strength 277 Helicopters Twin Engine 154 Helicopters 56%

Civil Helicopters Fleet in Commercial Usage Total Fleet Strength : 277 15.53% Logistic Support to E&P companies deployed Offshore (Around 43 Helicopters) 76.53% Heli Charter (Around 212 Helicopters) 7.94% Heli Pilgrimage / Heli Tourism (Around 22 Helicopters)

2 Indian Civil Helicopter Accident Analysis www.rwsi.org

Indian Helicopter Accidents (1990-2011) Causative Factors of 64 Accidents Number of Accidents 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Non Fatal Accidents Fatal Accidents 4 1 10 14 9 3 4 6 2 3 3 2 2 1

Causative Factors for Civil Helicopter Accident in India 1990-2011 Occurrence Categories Standard Problem Statement Intervention Recommended Loss of Control - (18) Loss of Visual Reference - (12) Maintenance Error - (9) Ground Accident - (7) Structural failure - (7) Struck object - (6) Training Emergencies - (2) Misc - (1) Under Investigation - (2) Pilot Judgment & Actions Pilot situational awareness Safety culture Maintenance Action Ground duties Safety Management Training, Systems Equipment &Information Maintenance Regulatory & Infrastructure

DIVISION OF ACCIDENTS BY HUMAN FACTOR AND NON-HUMAN FACTOR -INDIA (1990-2011) 1% 11% Human Error Ground Accident 17% Structural Failure Mics 71%

Phase of Flight & Percentage of Accident 40% 35% 30% 35% Take off & Climb Approach landing Cruise Ground Accidents 25% 20% 15% 23% 29% 10% 5% 0% Take off & Climb Approach landing Cruise 13% 16 18 22 8 Ground Accidents

Accident Trend Analysis in Month-wise

ACCIDENT-WISE ANALYSIS OF STANDARD PROBLEM STATEMENTS Frequency of occurrence

REGULATOR S SUPPORT It is being found increasingly difficult to collect Accident Investigation Reports from the Regulator before it is analyzed by JHSAT (India). On an average, it takes 1-2 years to get hold of Accident Investigation Reports from the Regulator. IHST (India) has convinced the Regulator to imbibe IHST Recommendations.

INTERNATIONAL HELICOPTER SAFETYTEAM S RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER IMPLEMENTATION DGCA India to support / assist the helicopter operators to Implement Safety Management Systems to bring about a change in the safety culture in India. Improve quality of training of pilots and AMEs. Encourage use of advanced systems and equipment like Flight Data Monitoring Systems, Health Monitoring Systems and equipment to avoid Controlled Flight Into Terrain Strict compliance to manufacturers Maintenance programs. Bring in an independent body of helicopter professionals RWSI to carry out audit to advise mid-course correction. Such an organization helps the operator to comply with safety norms.

SAFETY INITIATIVES MAJOR CAUSATIVE FACTORS & ACTION TAKEN

Loss of Control There were 18 Loss of Control Accidents. In many cases, pilot judgment errors were evident. They simply failed to maintain control of the Helicopter while landing or taking off indicating improper technique and low skill levels. Recommendations Supervisory Interventions. Better Flt Op Mgt, Safety Culture & Risk Assessment. OEM can also help send a type instructor to refresh the skills of the pilots periodically to prevent pilots getting into LOC situation.

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS : CFIT There were also 12 CFIT Accidents (Ten fatal). In most cases pilots lost situational awareness and inadvertently flew the aircraft into the water/mountain slope because of the combined effects of lack of external visual references and weak instrument flying skills www.rwsi.org In all cases, the pilots operating under VFR entered IMC and were not able to negotiate with weather. Recommendations We need to educate pilots that violations during conditions conducive to CFIT risk are major contributors to fatal accidents. The Regulator will need to instill confidence in the pilots that if a sortie is aborted due to weather and the pilot does a safe precautionary landing, he will not be penalised.

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS: CFIT Emphasis should be laid on high quality basic training in IFR with suitably kitted helicopter even at the basic flying training institutions. www.rwsi.org For improving safety culture and pilot judgments & actions, mandatory training courses are to be introduced to avoid CFIT accidents when pilots operating under VFR entered IMC.

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS: WEATHER Weather was a factor in 12 CFIT & 3 Wire Strike accidents. In many cases the pilot did not have the benefit of weather forecast as they took off from locations having no Weather Station or Weather Forecast Facilities. www.rwsi.org Recommendations Since majority of helicopter operations take place at low levels, IMD should provide weather information for Flt Levels below 100. Automatic weather broadcasting stations should be considered in remote areas where IMD facilities do not exist.

FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS: MAINTENANCE In the Aircraft Maintenance area, there were 16 accidents. 7 accidents were due to Failure of Components and 9 were due to Maintenance Failures. Recommendations Proficiency monitoring checks on AME s should be introduced. To lay down strict norms for exercising the privileges of AME license holders.

4 Summary of Action Taken www.rwsi.org

SUMMARY OF ACTION TAKEN SMS Training has been made mandatory for all the operators beginning with Chief of Flight Safety. Training will cover all other personnel subsequently. Fitment of Flight Data Monitoring Systems for all helicopters made mandatory. CFIT Avoidance Training Capsule for all pilots has been introduced. To prevent pilots operating under VFR getting into IMC, a circular has been prepared permitting helicopter pilots to carry out precautionary landing at a suitable place if they are unable to negotiate adverse weather conditions.

SUMMARY OF ACTION TAKEN Strict compliance to manufacturers Maintenance programmes is mandatory. An independent body of helicopter professionals such as RWSI has been involved to carry out audit along with DGCA to help the operator to comply with safety norms. OEMs have been urged to induct helicopters specific simulators in the country.

GUIDE BOOKS PUBLISHED BY RWSI

ACTION UNDER IMPLEMENTATION Establishment of permanent Helicopter Wing at DGCA-India & Airport Authority of India. Frequent Safety Audit of Operators by DGCA (including a Third Party Auditor in the DGCA Team) CAR on Minimum Safety Requirements for Helicopter Landing Areas Used on Regular Basis Review on Training, Proficiency Monitoring of Helicopter Pilots and the Requirements for Helicopter Operations.

Challenges Facing Indian Helicopter Industry Lack of Infrastructure. Lack of Public Use Heliports, Non availability of GA terminal & Parking Space, Lack of Hangar Space and Maintenance Facilities, non-availability of MROs and increasing cost of maintenance. Fixed Wing Traffic Rules being applied for Helicopters. An urgent review is required. Lack of Trained Manpower. Pilot Shortage in Creating a Larger Skilled Maintenance workforce.

CHALLENGES High Cost of Fuel. Aviation Turbine Fuel continues to attract very high sales tax that makes helicopter usage unaffordable. One gallon of ATF costs US$ 4.5 High Tariffs. Radio Navigation Flight Charges, Passenger Service Fee, Parking etc. has increased cost of operation significantly specially in Delhi and Mumbai.