HELICOPTER SAFETY ADVISORY CONFERENCE

January 13, 2005

New Orleans Airport Plaza Hotel and Conference Center

New Orleans, Louisiana

MINUTES

 

Casey Lowery, Chairman

·        Welcomed the Members and acknowledged the large attendance.

 

Michael Suldo, Director of Operations – Air Logistics

·        On December 17, 2004, a helicopter crashed in the Gulf of Mexico.  Captain Dennis Sweet was near the scene and immediately began coordinating rescue efforts.  Mr. Suldo, quoting from a letter to the Director of Operations from an Air Logistics’ employee read, “Mr. Dennis Sweet – as he liaised between various parties (the platform and base manager; dispatcher and platform; the platform and the ambulance service, and others…) – did so without missing a beat.  In the midst of it all he remained calm, relayed critical/vital information upon request and put all facets of aviation safety together and worked it.  He did what it took!” 

·        Mr. Suldo presented Captain Sweet with a leather flight jacket and congratulated him for his professional performance.  The Members congratulated Captain Sweet and recognized his accomplishment with generous applause.

 

 

Robert “Bob” Williams

ExxonMobil Aviation Advisor

Coordinator HSAC Risk Reduction Work Group

·        Risk Reduction Action Plan and Progress Report

 
 
   

·        Introduced the concept of the “Medallion Program” for Gulf of Mexico operations, “Aviation Safety through Systems Enhancement.”

Mission Statement

The mission of the Medallion Foundation is to reduce accidents in Alaska by fostering a new safety culture and by promoting higher safety standards through research, education, auditing and advocacy.

·        For complete information visit www.medallionfoundation.org.

 

 

Scott Horn, FAA – Manager, Safety Management Group ASW-112

·        Gulf of Mexico Accident Statistics 1999 to 2004

·        Communicate Concerns and Issues to: 9-asw-rotor-safe@faa.gov

·        Mr. Horn congratulated the operators on the marked reduction of fuel contamination related incident.

      

 
   
     

 

·        Scott Horn’s e-mail address is scott.a.horn@faa.gov.

 

 

 

Mark Fletcher, FAA-FTN AEG Office, Southwest Region

·        FAA/HSAC Root Cause Analysis for Gulf of Mexico Accident 1999 to 2004

 

 
   
     

 

·        FAA/HSAC Part 135 System Safety Risk Management:  3.1.4 “Operational Control”

 

 
   
     

 

·        FAA/HSAC Part 135 System Safety Risk Management:  3.1.5 “Carry-on Baggage and Cargo”


 
   
     

 

 

·        FAA/HSAC Part 135 System Safety Risk Management:  4.2.3 “Training of Flight Crewmembers”


 
   
     

 

 

·        Mark Fletcher’s e-mail address is mark.c.fletcher@faa.gov.

Terry James, UNOCAL

·        Presented overview of the March 23, 2004 accident that involved the ERA-owned SK76A++ leased to UNOCAL.

·        The NTSB has not issued a final document on the cause of the accident. The presentation was for “information purposes” and NTSB report is available on the NTSB website at www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20040422X00501&key=1

Allan Duquette, PHPA Safety Chairman

·        PHPA sponsored a Human Factors Safety Conference in Biloxi, MS during October 2004.  The conference was well-attended with “worldwide participation” from pilots and plans are in the offing to sponsor a 2nd annual safety conference in 2005.

      

 

 

­Mark Fontenot, HSAC Vice Chairman

·        No Report

 

 

Joe Gross, Treasurer:  Treasurer’s Report

·        HSAC checkbook and related accounting documents have been transferred from John Davis and interim Treasurer, Casey Lowery.

·        New invoices will soon be posted with the Treasurer’s address.

·        Updated, official address for the HSAC:

 

Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference
1360 Post Oak Boulevard
Suite 150, Room 1418
Houston, Texas  77056-3020

  
       


 

§         Contact:            Joe Gross, Treasurer – HSAC

§         Phone:               (713) 499-5242

§         Fax:                   (713) 985-8224

§         E-mail:              joe.gross@bpbilliton.com       

Tom Workman, HSAC/FAA Interface

·        Introduced Roy Fox, Safety – Bell Helicopter. 

·        Presentation by Mr. Fox was “NPRM 247 Looming.”  The NPRM concerns changing rotor strike classification from “incident” or “accident” and classify all rotor strikes as accidents.

·        If all rotor strikes in 2004 were classified as “Accidents,” there would have been an additional nine (9) accidents in the Gulf of Mexico.

·        The reclassification could affect operators’ accident statistics, insurance rates, and pilots’ safety record.

 

 

Terry Kaufman, Standardization and Safety

·        Introduced Dick Healing, NTSB.

·        Mr. Healing stated that the NTSB supports the rotorcraft community and offered NTSB comments on NPRM 247.

 

 

Rick Oeder, Government Liaison

·        Introduced Jim Hicks, Air Defense from Tyndal Air Force Base.

·        Because of positioning of drilling rig on the final approach path at Port Fourchon, the GPS approach was out-of-service.

 

 

 

MINUTES

January 13, 2005

Page 4

·        Letter was authored by HSAC Government Liaison, Rick Oeder, to Offshore Operators Conference (OOC) and International Association of Drilling Contactors (IADC) requesting notification to helicopter operators when a rig is stacked near a shore base that could obstruct an instrument approach procedure.

 

 

Gary Guerrero, Heliports and Airways

·        HAI, with the support of HSAC, was not successful in appropriating funding in 2004 for communications and weather in the Gulf of Mexico.

·        Area Agreement maps require updating.  A checklist will be provided to operators.

 

 

Tom Suhrhoff, Industrial Liaison

·        Authored new RP, “Helicopter Tie Down Produces.”  The RP was presented to the GoM Special Work Group for review and comment.

 

 

Kenny Huete, Technical Advisory Liaison

·        The Technical Advisory Committee needs a new committee chairman, in particular, a Maintenance Manager from the Membership to provide technical expertise.

 

 

Terry Gamble, Deridder Flight Service

·        This month, but not later than March 17, 2005, the FAA will decide the closure date for Deridder Flight Service.

·        There will be a dramatic reduction in the overall number of flight service stations.

 

 

Frank Colby, Omega Protein Safety Pilot

·        The fish spotters will be back in the air in April 2005.  Keep the fish spotter pilots informed of your position with a radio call as the aircraft cross the beach heading offshore or before crossing the beach on an inbound flight.

·        Contact phone number:  (337) 898-0992 or e-mail fkcolby@cox-internet.com.

Casey Lowery, Chairman

·         Mr. Lowery will be leaving El Paso for a position with UNOCAL effective Monday, January 17, 2005.

 

The next scheduled meeting for HSAC will be on May 18 and 19, 2005 in Lafayette, Louisiana.

 

Approved by Casey Lowery, Chairman               Signed:  Casey Lowery