HELICOPTER SAFETY ADVISORY CONFERENCE

Plaza Hotel (Formerly the Radisson), Kenner, Louisiana

January 16, 2003

MINUTES

INTRODUCTION

• The meeting began at 09:00. Chairman, Dave Milling, explained the construction noises were the result of the extensive renovation of the hotel. The renovations should be completed by the time HSAC returns to New Orleans in 2004. 

• Year 2003 is the 25-anniversary of HSAC. 

• There are 33 waiver holders in the Gulf of Mexico. 

• Robert “Bob” Williams, ExxonMobil, needs statistics from the operator so the information will be available for the HAI Convention in Dallas, TX beginning February 9, 2003. Fax the information to Bob at (972) 373-3735. E-mail address is robert.g.williams@exxonmobil.com.

CLIFF MITCHELL, ERA

• Introduced new HSAC Web Master, Kirk Harrison, Chevron-Texaco. Very some the HSAC Website will include the Area Agreement Maps and the HSAC Pilot Information and Frequencies Card.

• Demonstrated the Rescue Laser Flare manufactured by Greatland Laser, Inc; 4001 West International Airport Road, #2; Anchorage, AK 99502. Telephone number is (907) 245-4475. E-mail laser@alaska.net. Website is www.greatlandlaser.com. Terry Kaufman, PHI Aviation Safety, stated the laser is manufactured in three sizes and in use by the Coast Guard, the U.S. Army and pilot in Alaska. (See attachment Rescue Laser Flare.)

CASEY LOWERY

• MARSH, USA, an insurance brokerage firm, is a new Associate Member of HSAC.

• The new Web Master, Kirk Harrison, was complemented for his excellent work on the HSAC Website. The website has a Feedback page and Kirk Harrison and Casey Lowery are the recipients of the page and responsible for responses.

• Website is www.hsac.org. In the future, the website will contain a Forum Page where questions and responses may be posted by visitors to the website. Pages on the website include:

Ø History

Ø Accomplishments and Initiatives

Ø Organization and Membership

Ø Committees

Ø Meetings

Ø Recommend Procedures “RP’s”

Ø Safety Bulletins

Ø Sensitive Area Operations

Ø Safety Statistics

Ø Contact Information

Ø Feedback

Ø Links

JOHN DAVIS, Evergreen and HSAC Treasurer

• HSAC is a non-profit organization.

• There are 13 members of HSAC that contribute $500.00 annually. Because of their support, HSAC no longer requires $20.00 per participant formerly collected at each meeting. The contributors are PHI, Air Logistics, ERA, El Paso, Chevron-Texaco, Shell, Grasso, Extex, American Helicopters, Evergreen Helicopters, Eurocopter, Ryan, and Devon.

BILL STILES, SHELL OIL COMPANY

• SHELL has been instrumental in maintaining the Area Agreement Maps. Placement on the website will be beneficial to all operators in the GOM.

• Introduced Don Day, FAA.

DON DAY, FAA, Fort Worth Region

• CAPSTONE Project: Dave Downey, FAA, will be invited to attend the May 2003 HSAC Meeting in Lafayette, LA.

• The FAA is placing much of the interest on Surveillance and not on Communications and Weather. Comm and Weather are what we really need in the Gulf of Mexico.

• Don will be in Washington, D.C. next week for meetings to “paint a picture” of the requirements needed to better serve the helicopter industry for IFR operations in the GOM. Appreciate what’s been done politically by the Operators.

• HAI will be lobbying again next month for our requirements for Communication, Weather, and Surveillance.

GREG WILDIE

• At the break and conclusion of the General Meeting, attendees were invited to view an Operations Scheduling Program.

GARY TUCKER, Air Logistics (presented by Rick Oeder, ERA)

• The winter months of December, January and February usher in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). There has not been an IMC related accident in the GOM since 1998. “Do not push weather” would be good reminder to all pilots.

• Insure that all baggage and loose objects are secured in the aircraft baggage compartment. Check baggage compartment doors (twice) insuring that the latches are secure and there are no ropes or lanyard trailing from the compartment.

RICK OEDER, ERA

• Introduced JIM HICKS.

Ø For the past several months, there has been non intercepts in the GOM. Very quite.

Ø Israeli astronaut will be aboard the next U.S. Shuttle launched. 40-mile security area around the Cape.

• On December 6, 2002, Rick Oeder attended the Helicopter Operators Security Meeting in Galveston where a security program for the GOM was unveiled.

• Introduced GAY A. TETREAU, Marine Safety Division, Waterways Management Branch. HSAC Minutes. 

Ø With the current agency staffing, it is impossible to patrol all waterways. If something suspicious is encountered, report immediately to the Coast Guard. We need your help.

Ø Require a small group of helicopter operators to discuss safety which includes screening of passengers and cargo.

Ø Input is needed from the Industry to know what is reasonable and sustainable.

• The first meeting of the Gulf Safety Committee will be held in New Orleans, LA on January 28, 2003. The meeting is by invitation-only and Dave Milling, Chairman, will represent HSAC. (See attachment: Press release, “New Gulf Safety Committee Dealing with Security Issues.”)

• For more information, go to: www.uscg.mil/HQ/G-M/harborsafety.htm.

DOUGLAS HELTON, UPS Aviation Technologies

• UPS Aviation Technologies was formerly IImorrow.

• UPS will equip 757 and 767 fleet this year with ADS-B and eventually all UPS aircraft.

• ADS-B equipped aircraft and ground stations provide timely, accurate traffic collision avoidance information and radar-like surveillance for ATC. At flight levels, the ground-based stations have a range of 150 nm.

• CAPSTONE Project was a huge success. For the Gulf of Mexico, ADS-B is the right technology and could be a true success benefiting the oil companies, helicopter operators, commercial airlines, and ARTCC.

• Lobbying efforts must start at the top with the Administrator. If there is acceptance at the top echelon, the low tiers will fall into step. It will be funded.

GARY GUERRERO, Chevron-Texaco

• Replaced Lou D’Elia as Chairman of the Gulf of Mexico Working Group.

• Gary has continued personal efforts to lobby the Louisiana delegates for communication and weather in the GOM. Mary Landrieu is onboard with the operators’ requirements and will hopefully have John Breaux aboard soon.

• Recommended practices on Helideck Design Guide.

Ø To best define helideck load capacity and markings for helicopters, HSAC will convene a committee comprised of at least three (3) structural engineers to assist with a conclusion.

• Gulf Wings Weekend 2003 on April 4^th and 5^th at Scholes International Airport in Galveston, Texas. Websited is www.gulfwings.org.

KELLY TEAGUE, FAA

• Since Lou D’Elia’s departure to Africa, Kelly and Mark Fontenot, Air Logistics, have co-chaired the Gulf of Mexico Working Group.

• There are 20-operators in the Gulf of Mexico.

• In 1996 and through the cooperative efforts of the FAA, Oil Companies, and the Helicopter Operator, the HSAC IFR Working Group was able to revamp IFR procedures in the Gulf of Mexico in just 18-months. Although efforts have stalled on enhancing Communication, Weather and Surveillance in the GOM, we all must continue to persevere.

• In December, new IFR alternate weather minimums were established for Onshore Alternates. “The certificate holder is authorized to derive alternate airport weather minimums as follows, and in no case use an alternate airport weather minimum lower than any applicable minimum derived from the following procedure:

…A ceiling derived by adding 200 ft. to the published HAT or HAA for the approach to be flown.

…1 statue mile but never less than the published minimum visibility for the approach to be flown.

…In determining alternate airport weather minimums, the certificated holder shall not use any published instrument approach procedure which specifies that alternate airport weather minimums are not authorized.” The newly revised alternate minimums tripled the number of available alternate airports along the Gulf Coast.

• SAFETY REMINDER: Fish Spotters begin activities on April 1, 2003. Their first Safety Meeting will be on the 2^nd Tuesday in April, the 8^th, in Patterson, LA.

DAVE MILLING, Chairman

• The Steering Committee questioned if three (3) meeting annually were sufficient to sustain HSAC momentum. There is discussion to return to four (4) meeting annually in 2004.

• There was a recommendation to the Steering Committee by Tom Suhrhoff, ExxonMobil, to form a committee which would share and discuss best practices for aircraft maintenance.

• The second HSAC meetings for 2003 is scheduled for May 14^th and 15^th in Lafayette, LA.

Minutes approved by:_________________________________________________

David P. Milling, Chairman, HSAC