KEEP IT SAFE ON THE HELIDECK
T
Chris Wood, Operations Manager at Safeguard Helidecks considers the critical requirements for the safe use of helicopter landing areas onboard superyachts
he world of maritime aviation has come through the global pandemic and we are now busier than ever. Our services are in demand from
shipyards, superyacht designers, owners and captains. One day we can be hopping on a flight to visit yards and give advice on the design of a superyacht’s helidecks and the next day, we’re flying out to superyachts to review their helicopter operations and complete the inspections and certifications.
Chris Wood is an ex-Naval Aviator with 20 years of ship/air integration experience, including 6 years working at Safeguard Helidecks, an Aviation Inspection Body (AIB) authorised by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). But what does that really mean? It means that they have the authority to inspect superyacht helidecks and certify that they meet the regulations and standards required for commercial aviation on board superyachts.
Considering the future for superyacht design Chris and his team like nothing better than to look ahead and consider the future for superyacht aviation. Will there be more demand for duel flying capabilities going forward? Will the time come when there will be a requirement to have an air traffic control function onboard, for when the helidecks are operating concurrently? And what about Tilt Rotor Aircraft - how long is it before we see these aircraft onboard? These are all things that will no doubt be a topic of conversation for future design groups and who knows, we may even see the introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) onboard superyachts in the not too distant future!
When not contemplating the future, the team’s focus is very much on their day job which can be broadly split into two areas.
The certification process – design Our role as an AIB is to ensure that aviation onboard superyachts is taking place in the safest possible manor, but superyacht designs are constantly evolving with many owners now specifying a requirement for multiple helidecks. The safety implications for this are considerable as the possibility of concurrent flying operations from the same vessel throws up numerous hazards that need to be carefully addressed.
We therefore encourage early engagement of our team when a yacht is at the design stage, so that our expertise in deck loading, air flow disruption and helideck location can be fully utilised. This allows for a smooth process in gaining the required helideck certification for the completed yacht. It is important to be aware that a Helicopter Landing Area Technical Certificate (HLATC) covering the design activities will remain valid for as long as the design remains unchanged. But any later design changes would require a new HLATC to be issued.
It is also important to ensure the owner’s needs and requirements have been met fully. In our experience this includes checking that the design team know which helicopter the owner plans to operate on their yacht as the deck loading requirements for a H125 are significantly different to those of a H175. If this is not accounted for then changes may have to be made to the helicopter landing area/s and this in turn can impact the overall aesthetic of the yacht and delay the completion. We are well versed in working with multiple teams to ensure that such pitfalls can be avoided, the completion can be on time and the aviation safety requirements are met.
The certification process – operational We do our best to be as responsive as possible to our clients and will fly wherever
12 | TENDERS & TOYS | ONBOARD
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132
