HSAC
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SAFETY INITIATIVES
- "Offshore
Heliport Design Guide" developed and maintained with the support
of the State of Louisiana.
- Offshore
Gulf of Mexico sectional charts developed and maintained in cooperation
with the FAA.
- In
cooperation with the FAA, the Offshore Operation Task Force Committee:
- Increased
Flight Service Station facilities and services
- Established
procedures for handling IFR flights offshore, and improved coordination
of instrument operations
- Developed
plans for improved communication and navigation aids offshore
- Improved
weather reporting
- Established
Loran C and radar as the primary navigation aids offshore
- Revised
Instrument Flight Rule routes to cover most areas
- Improved
weather forecasting through implementation of the National Weather
Service Supplemental Aviation Weather Reporting Stations (SAWRS)
- The
Base Area Agreement/Air Traffic Control Committee established terminal
flight procedures for congested areas in both on- and offshore areas
off the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama.
- The
Military Liaison Committee in cooperation with Department of Defense
organizations:
- Coordinated
the Air Force abandonment of an air route in a heavily congested
area
- Opened
dialog with various federal agencies to resolve intercept concerns
- Recommended
Practices (RPs)
published for:
- "Passenger
Management On and About Heliports" to improve passenger safety
- "Crane-Helicopter
Operational Procedures" to minimize risks on helidecks during
crane and helicopter operations
- "Helicopter-Tanker
Operations" to provide guidance for safe helicopter operations
on and around tankers
- Offshore
fish spotter briefings and reports.
- Passenger
briefing film, developed as a general indoctrination film for all operations.
- Preflight
briefing cards.
- Pilot
Information and Frequency Cards.
- The
Houston Heliport Task Force Committee assisted in improving procedures
for flight in urban environments.
In
summary, the HSAC and its members have improved offshore flight safety
through persistent and knowledgeable communications with industry and
government agencies, and with the mutual support and cooperation of other
professional organizations, such as Helicopter Association International
(HAI), American Petroleum Institute (API), National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), Offshore Operators Committee (OOC), and others. Contributions
to the improvement of flight safety offshore in the Gulf of Mexico continue
through the active involvement of the various HSAC committees.
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