Helicopter pilots routinely face diverse challenges ranging from dangerous SAR missions to complex deliveries of loads and personnel in remote locations. "Helicopters tend to fly in more dynamic environments than most fixed-wing aircraft," says Duncan Trapp who works for the European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST). "It is really important that we try to reach out to all areas of the helicopter community - no matter how small - to communicate the latest safety advice, promote training best practice and flag up new ways of meeting regulatory requirements."

Trapp, as safety and regulatory manager for all CHC Helicopter's European operations; looks after the safety of around 100 helicopters. He explains: "EHEST is the European branch of the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST). Both organisations are made up of volunteers from operators, regulators and manufacturers - all with the aim of improving safety within the helicopter community. In 2006, IHST set itself the goal of reducing rotary accident rates by 80 per cent by 2016. In Europe more than 300 accident reports have now been analysed and common themes and trends from these highlighted."

These results have prompted EHEST to focus on a number of key areas including the introduction of Safety Management Systems (SMS). Trapp says: "Although most of the large operators have already deployed SMS and are formalising processes such as regular risk assessments or carrying out safety audits, smaller operators are less likely to have an SMS. Statistically it is smaller operators that tend to experience the majority of accidents. In response to this the IHST has already drawn up an SMS Tool Kit to offer basic guidelines - free to download on the organisation's web site. With the majority of helicopters being operated by companies with between one and five aircraft, these types of operations are the IHST's target audience." Trapp says helicopter operators should have a major focus on current training practices and learn how their rotary aircraft can avoid joining the high percentage of accidents that take place during tasks such as aerial firefighting.

Trapp says: "Technology plays a vital role in the IHST/EHEST review of training issues: from the availability of computer based training - relatively cheap and allowing those undergoing the training to revisit areas for consolidation as well as familiarising themselves with the use of new equipment such as GPS - to the introduction of simulators - a bigger challenge if they are to be affordable, accessible and accurate in how they replicate the characteristics of the 'real' aircraft."

Flight data monitoring, he points out, is another key step in the use of technology to improve training. "Becoming more and more affordable, it provides accurate and timely feedback on what actually happened," Trapp adds. "If ideal profiles were not followed it offers insights into why and allows training to be modified to iron out potentially unsafe habits (whether they were being applied knowingly or otherwise). Such technological benefits need to be introduced within a non-punitive culture."

Trapp adds: "Perhaps easier still is the use of the Internet to create a one-stop-shop of quality training material, free of charge, to the smaller operators. IHST/EHEST is developing a partnership with SKYbrary to upload training material such as specially produced DVDs."