Best Practices T
By Keith M. Cianfrani, MAS, CISM, CFI
HE US HELICOPTER SAFETY TEAM (USHST) HAS reviewed 123 fatal accidents that occurred between 2009 and 2013 to find common causal factors and develop recommendations for reducing those risks. Te resulting recommendations for safety improvements are called
Helicopter Safety Enhancements (H-SE) (learn more at
ushst.org). One of these enhancements is H-SE #28, Helicopter Final Walk-
Around and Security of External Cargo. Tis enhancement resulted from several fatal accidents where the pilots’ failure to conduct a proper preflight inspection and walk-around were causal factors. You would think that this is Helicopter 101, but pilots are still killing themselves and others by not properly addressing this task. H-SE #28 derives directly from 14 CFR 91.7, which states, “Te pilot
in command of a civil aircraft is responsible for determining whether that aircraft is in condition for safe flight.” An adequate preflight inspec- tion and final walk-around are key to fulfilling this responsibility. Postflight inspection can also help to identify issues prior to the next flight.
3 Steps to Safe Flight
q Thorough preflight inspection w Complete final walk-around e Full postflight inspection
for Preflight Inspection and Cargo Security It’s a basic task for pilots—and a fundamental part of flight safety.
Better guidance on how and why to conduct a proper preflight and
walk-around, as well as increased attention to their importance, may mitigate such events in the future. Terefore, the USHST, with the help of helicopter operators, safety professionals, aircraft manufacturers, and the HAI Safety Working Group, has developed guidance to reinforce the basic pilot skills used in conducting these inspections (see p. 64). Te list is not all inclusive, and each recommendation can be expanded
per pilot preference. Going back to basics may sound elementary, but refocusing on these basic tasks will help reduce helicopter accidents and save lives.
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