Promoted in the EASA Community Rotorcraft to benefit safety.
VAI Spotlight on Safety
Vertical Aviation International (VAI) is committed to advancing safety across the vertical aviation sector by offering a range of initiatives and resources.
One of these key efforts is the Spotlight on Safety series, available at Spotlight on Safety - Vertical Aviation International.
Spotlight on Safety povides practical safety advice and real experiences aimed at enhancing everyday helicopter operations.
VAI invites its members and the broader aviation community to contribute their own safety insights and stories -- fostering a culture of shared learning to help prevent accidents and protect lives.
VAI Spotlight on Safety video "How to Safely Approach and Depart a Helicopter"
Published on July 16, 2025, this video provides a safety protocol and critical procedures for safely approaching and departing helicopters.
It focuses on rotor and situational awareness and provides live-saving safety tips to avoid colliding with rotor blades.
VAI Spotlight on Safety: Rotor Disc Safety
In this video, Capt. Mike Becker, executive director and chief pilot of Becker Helicopters Pilot Academy in Queensland, Australia, shares his organisation’s Rotor Disc Protocols -- a set of procedures to train everyone how to safely approach and depart a helicopter.
Poster and accompanying article
Each video from the VAI Spotlight on Safety series comes with a poster and an accompanying article.
The article accompanying this video tells the poignant story of Lester Chambers, a respected flight instructor who tragically lost his life due to rotor blade contact. His story is a powerful reminder of the risks involved and the importance of strict adherence to safety protocols. In response to this incident, VAI developed the Rotor Disc Protocols and the STAR Method, now central to their training and operational culture.
On this subject, you can also refer to the articles Avoiding Collisions with Rotor Blades | EASA Community and Avoiding a Main Rotor Collision With Obstacles | EASA Community, featuring this famous video by Claude Vuichard How to avoid a main rotor collision with obstacles.
References
Spotlight on Safety - Vertical Aviation International
VAI Spotlight on Safety: Rotor Disc Safety
Avoiding Collisions with Rotor Blades | EASA Community
Avoiding a Main Rotor Collision With Obstacles | EASA Community
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