The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is looking at ways to keep helicopters as safe as possible while operating in severe weather conditions at sea. The CAA's stand at the Helitech'99 exhibition in Redhill displayed the Gatwick-based Safety Regulation Group's (SRG) research into the safety of offshore helicopter operations, including air turbulence around helidecks on offshore installations, lighting offshore helidecks and helicopter ditching.\rSRG research project manager, Dave Howson, explained: "Flying to offshore helidecks is unique in commercial aviation and North Sea helicopters have to contend with some of the harshest conditions experienced anywhere in the world. Clearly this calls for the highest possible levels of safety and monitoring."\rResearch into ditching involves using model helicopters in wave tanks to demonstrate how an aircraft being evacuated can be prevented from capsizing in bad sea states. \rIt was found that extra flotation devices high on the helicopter fuselage would hold the helicopter on its side to maintain an air pocket in the cabin and allow occupants to escape from an opening above the water surface. The CAA says that initial feedback from trials using a helicopter underwater escape trainer shows that 90 per cent of test subjects preferred this new side floating system.\rThe helideck lighting project was formed in response to pilots' complaints about difficulty in locating helidecks on large offshore installations. The CAA's research found that the simple solution would be to change the colour of the helideck perimeter lights to one not used elsewhere on the offshore installation. During a limited in-service trial, the CAA says it received 100 per cent favourable feedback from pilots. Other aspects of the project included the lighting of the landing area visible to the pilot just before touchdown to enhance visual cueing and the reduction of glare from floodlighting. \rDave Howson said: "The research will ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of offshore helicopter safety. Thousands of flights are made in this challenging environment every year and it is vital that we continue our work within the industry."