Globally the fatal accident rate for offshore helicopter operations is ten times that of the average fixed wing airline but it can be claimed that UKCS offshore helicopter operations have a good safety record compared to trends worldwide. For example, there were zero fatalities in the UKCS for the 9-year period from 1993 to 2001, a commendable record cut short by the S76 accident in the Southern NS in 2002 causing 11 fatalities and the Morecombe Bay ditching in December 2006 causing seven fatalities.
The IHST (International Helicopter Safety Team) has set the goal to reduce helicopter accidents globally by 80% by 2016. IHST was formed at the International Helicopter Safety Symposium September 2005 in Montreal. Military and civil operators, manufacturers together with national and international regulators participated and publicly acknowledged that the helicopter accident rate is excessive and unsustainable over any longer period of time.
It was agreed at the symposium that industry would engage in a collaborative joint effort to identify the main causes of the high helicopter accident rate and find ways and means to reduce the rate by 80 percent in the following decade. Supporting this goal the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers has made the commitment that: “The individual risk per period of flying exposure for an individual flying on oil and gas contracted business should be no greater than on the average global airline.”
The Symposium meets again in Montreal September 2007 to assess progress two years into the 10-year plan of action.