> Flight safety
Three strands of the directorate

Flight safety activities for the Eurocopter group fleet are now coordinated by a tailormade directorate established in early May and divided in three parts.


© Eurocopter / P. Penna

Technical & Maintenance sector: Initiates action plans following accidents attributed to technical causes. No. 1 priority is to reduce time between the accident analysis phase and the effective fleet-wide implementation of all technical modifications, as soon as each modification is deemed necessary.

Operations sector: Responsible for improving Eurocopter understanding of operational accidents and facilitating solution development. Particular emphasis will be placed on:
• proposing special training to pilots in accessible locations and at competitive rates, as per the Group Training policy, with the aim of minimizing accidents attributed to crew errors.
• providing operators with equipment such as flight recorders and obstacle detectors; discouraging pilots from performing dangerous maneuvers, and improving flight control aids.

Corporate Affairs sector: Four major objectives:
• identify, coordinate, and develop action plans so that Eurocopter and its employees can manage the consequences of helicopter accidents in an appropriate manner.
• implement a more structured crisis management process.
• improve communication with international authorities such as the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST).
• encourage operators to do their part in improving flight safety by fitting helicopters with operational equipment such as obstacle detectors, and increasing survivability; ensure maintenance is carried out in Eurocopter-approved workshops with original parts; improve training for crew and maintenance personnel (which could possibly reduce insurance premiums for operators).


_AUTHOR: MONIQUE COLONGES

> Back to top     > Print
NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE

Jean-Pierre Dedieu, known to many as Executive Director of Customer Support, will be heading the Flight Safety directorate while continuing in his principal role.

Eurocopter has demonstrated its commitment to giving flight safety the highest priority by taking the matter straight to the top: the new structure reports directly to the Eurocopter CEO. The directorate is based on three main areas and tasked with initiating, coordinating and harmonizing all company actions related to flight safety.

“The Flight Safety directorate was created in response to a worldwide dynamic,” notes Mr. Dedieu. “As with the airline companies a few years back, there has recently been increased awareness among international aeronautical authorities, helicopter operators and manufacturers of the need to improve flight safety.

The helicopter community has now decided to take concerted action to drastically reduce the incidence of fatal accidents over the next decade.”
Although Eurocopter helicopters have a lower incidence of fatal accidents than other helicopters (see Rotor Journal No. 70), the company is now determined to drive the numbers down even further. Eurocopter refuses to compromise on flight safety.