Search Also Has Begun For New Industry Co-Chair

The United States Helicopter Safety Team is calling for more helicopter safety experts to join their productive efforts to reduce accidents and fatalities in the industry.

The Implementation Committee of the USHST consists of members from industry and government who are focused on safety management, training, maintenance, and safety technology. They work together to develop educational support documents such as safety toolkits, safety bulletins, and essays to improve and increase safe helicopter operational practices. They also work on enhancing standard practices and requirements within the civil helicopter industry.

To date, USHST experts have created and distributed 18 safety bulletins for helicopter operators that concentrate on topics such as visibility, loss of control, CFIT, autorotations, training, safety management, and hazard identification.

Safety experts from the following organizations have participated in USHST efforts: Air
Methods, Bell Helicopter, Boeing Company, Bristow Academy, CAE/Flightscape, Dallas Police
Dept., Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., Federal Aviation Admin., Helicopter Association Intl., Life Flight of Maine, National Transportation Safety Board, Prism Helicopters, Robinson Helicopter Co., Sikorsky Aircraft, SkyTrac Systems.

The USHST also has begun a search for an industry co-chair to replace Bill Chiles, who recently retired as CEO of Bristow Group. The USHST government co-chair is Jim Viola, FAA Manager, General Aviation and Commercial Division.

FMI: www.USHST.org, www.IHST.org