European Safety Promotion Network Rotorcraft (ESPN-R)

Point of contact: SafetyPromotion [at] easa.europa.eu (SafetyPromotion[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu)

The European Safety Promotion Network Rotorcraft (ESPN-R) is a mixed industry-authorities team established in January 2017 by the Rotorcraft Sectorial Committee (RSC), now called the Rotorcraft Committee (R.COM).

Activities

The ESPN-R develops, disseminates and evaluates Safety Promotion (SP) material and actions on a voluntary basis in support of the Rotorcraft Community, of EASA and of the industry. The ESPN-R can also contribute to Safety Promotion campaigns.

ESPN-R deliverables are published in the Rotorcraft | EASA Community and before 2020 on the EASA Safety Promotion website, helicopter section.

Scope includes but is not limited to operations and (Safety) Management Systems, training and emerging safety-enhancing technologies, for which R&D material, studies, previous European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST – closed in 2016) work and expert advice is considered.

The ESPN-R also contributes to ensuring that Safety Promotion material reaches the target audience in addition to authority and industry channels. The ESPN-R facilitates the European Safety Promotion Network Rotorcraft forum on LinkedIn with over 3500 members and two more specific forums on Hoist Operation Safety Promotion and Sling Load Operations Safety Promotion. ESPN-R also organises an annual safety workshop at a major European Rotorcraft conference.

ESPN-R is the European regional team of the Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST) created in June 2021 to replace the International Helicopter Safety Foundation (IHSF) and expand scope to Vertical Aviation (VTOL). It also informs and coordinates on rotorcraft Safety Promotion with the Safety Promotion Network (SPN), established by EASA in 2016.

Composition

Members come from the former European Helicopter Safety Team (EHEST) community and the former European Helicopter Safety Implementation Team (EHSIT), the implementation team of the EHEST. The ESPN-R leverages the former EHSIT competences for development, dissemination and evaluation of Safety Promotion material and actions.

ESPN-R has three coordinators from Airbus Helicopters representing the European Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), European Helicopter Association (EHA) and EASA.

Deliverables

ESPN-R deliverables are published on the Rotorcraft | EASA Community, and before 2020, in the EASA Safety Promotion website, helicopter section.