Rotorcraft

Support to helicopter crews performing firefighting and rescue missions, summer 2023

ESPN-R wishes to congratulate pilots, flight and technical crews performing firefighting and rescue missions in Europe and worldwide. We also present condolences to those who have lost their live in the air and on the ground, and to their families, colleagues and friends.

We hoped for a quieter summer but that didn't happen:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/global-maps/MOD14A1_M_FIRE

Pooling of resources in the EU:
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_2943

We also would like learning from you: what professional practices and risk mitigations do you put in place to perform such demanding, high risk missions?
Share your views in the Comments section below.

Near Athens, Greece: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7B5xzfsSmg
Tenerife, Spain:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQhlJCZyEms
Algeria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbhWIVVfnPY&feature=youtu.be
Northern California: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gczG-iynUX0
Canada:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEsOp56PpLU
Australia (forecast): https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-23/australia-bushfire-forecast-high…
(Example links)

Robinson R66 Turbine Helicopter - Avoiding Hot Starts
https://youtu.be/aKzUbiFtvD4

Robinson Helicopter Company’s Flight Safety Department’s Monica Campos talks about Avoiding Hot Starts in the Robinson R66 Turbine Helicopter.

Canadian CH-149 Cormorant crash stemmed from seat in ‘false lock position’: DND. Vertical Mag | July 28, 2023
https://verticalmag.com/news/canadian-ch-149-cormorant-crash-stemmed-fr…

A sudden, unexpected drop in seat height instigated a series of events that led to a crash that destroyed a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter on a training flight in 2022, according to a report from the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND)’s Airworthiness Investigative Authority.

“The investigation determined that a combination of factors, including seat non-conformances and the horizontal position that was maladjusted, allowed the seat to be in a false lock condition,” the report said.

“When the seat dropped, the loss of outside visual references in combination with the severe vertical vibration resulted in an unrecognized spatial disorientation of the pilot flying."

“This caused the pilot flying to incorrectly perceive a right yaw and apply full left pedal input; this led to a severe left yaw and contributed to the change in roll attitude that likely rendered the helicopter unrecoverable.”

Multiple special inspections and aircrew information files have been issued to address seat non-conformances and avoid false lock conditions, according to the report.

Note: for more accident digest posts, consider registering in the LinkedIn ESPN-R Group:
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7453300/.

Brussels Playbook: EU races to label AI content
POLITICO - Article by Jakob Vela, June 5, 2023

https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/eu-races-to-label-…