The Air Accident Investigation Department (AAIB) has made a number of security suggestions within the aftermath of a 2023 incident that noticed excessive winds tear blades from a helicopter parked offshore.
The brand new report into the 2023 incident confirmed {that a} failed rotor brake allowed the Airbus H175’s rotors to proceed spinning in excessive winds.
This prompted 4 of its 5 blades to snap off, nearly putting one of many two staff tying the automobile down.
Storm Otto struck the UK in February 2023, subjecting north-east Scotland to 100 mile per hour winds.
Plane G-MCSH, an Airbus H175 operated by Offshore Helicopter Companies UK (OHS), was parked on the TotalEnergies-operated Elgin-Franklin platform, 130 miles from Aberdeen, when the incident befell.
The report added that vertical air movement attributable to the ‘cliff edge’ impact of an lodging block on the platform exacerbated the rotor blade crusing.
As well as, altering wind instructions meant that the helicopter was now not going through into the wind, however was more and more being subjected to wind from its proper facet.
Within the aftermath of the occasion, OHS now requires pilots to file the rotor cease time after brake software on every shutdown.
If the cease time is discovered to exceed 40 seconds, a examine of the brake and its adjustment is required.
The AAIB report laid out a complete of six security suggestions in its report.
These embody requiring Airbus Helicopters to expedite the inclusion of improved rotor brake upkeep procedures within the EC175 Plane Upkeep Guide.
The report additionally mentioned that Main Offshore Vitality Trade Competitiveness Ltd ought to incorporate comparative wind pace evaluation as a part of the Helimet high quality management and notification system.
As well as, an earlier report discovered that points with a flight recorder on board the helicopter meant that pictures and information on the incident weren’t saved.
The report mentioned that authorities, together with the US Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Security Company, ought to set dates to make sure that up to date voice and flight information recorders are put in in required plane.
