FAA Says Emergency Medical Helicopters Need Safety Improvements

[Clark]

FAA Says Emergency Medical Helicopters Need Safety Improvements

Three men died last weekend when an emergency medical-services
helicopter crashed near Madison, Wis., and this week the FAA responded
with an update on its work to address safety concerns about such
flights. The NTSB reported on the helicopter emergency medical
services fleet in 2006, and asked the FAA to impose stricter
requirements on all such operators. "While the FAA has not ruled out
proposing new or changing existing rules, the agency has prompted
significant short-term safety gains that do not require rulemaking,"
the FAA said in a statement on Tuesday. The agency said it is focusing
on better training for flight crews; encouraging the use of technology
such as night-vision goggles, radar altimeters, and terrain awareness
and warning systems (though such systems don't work optimally in
helicopters, the FAA says); and more detailed, airline-type FAA
oversight for operators. "Safety improvements are needed," the FAA
said.

Last weekend's fatal crash occurred shortly after takeoff on Saturday
night, when the helicopter hit a wooded hillside. The crew did not
have either night goggles or a terrain warning system on board. Air
Methods, based in Denver, was the operator for the helicopter that
crashed. An official of the company told The Capital Times on Monday
it is installing the goggles and terrain warning gear as quickly as
possible on its fleet of 330 aircraft.

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/FAASaysEmergencyMedicalHelicoptersNeedSafetyImprovements_197867-1.html

Kent