Posted By Keith Penfold
Hi,

Does anyone know where I could find details on the 'industry standard' for workers who travel on helicopters over sea. I am interested in the requirements for 'dunk' training.

Thanks

Keith

Posted By John Caboche
If I recall correctly to travel offshore on a helo you have to have attended and past HUET (Helicopter Underwater Escape ) training.

Several place around the country undertake this training, Warsash in Southampton, RGIT in Aberdeen, HOTA in Hull, and Flyde College Blackpool to name but a few....

In my experience (Warsash and Blackpool) Warsash was the more pleasant of the the two, (you don't go as deep.... and my lifejacket didn't work properly at Blackpool) although to be honest the whole thing is a fairly unpleasant experience, when I last did mine two dunks were required for the refresher training, and they were just introducing re breather training. I think the re breather training is part of the course now, hopefully someone who is more up to date will be able to comment.

John

Posted By Keith Penfold
Thanks all.

The issue has come about in relation to a Risk Assessment for staff who will be involved in an exercise travelling by helicopter across open water (sea). One of the control measures requires staff to have received training in escaping from a helicopter. But the question was asked is there an accepted industry standard where the training is classed as mandatory.

Keith

Posted By Antony McManus
just done my pan-euro refresher and you now get dunked 7, yes 7 times.
Usually you get the pleasure of doing this with kit that doesn'y function too well (Due to over-use).
I had the pleasure of breathing water in, twice, while doing my capsizes, due to the fact that the re-breather leaked.

Posted By andy evans
For further background HUET is not an aviation requirement for passengers. But survival suits are covered by the European JAA requirements for helicopter commercial air transport operators. JAR-OPS 3.837(a)(1) requires "crews and passengers on board helicopters operated to or from a helideck located in a hostile sea area, at a distance from land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time, and in support of oil and gas exploitation, to wear survival suits".

In addition you may wish to consider this CAA FODCOM on non oil & gas:
http://www.caa.co.uk/app...d=11&mode=detail&id=1098

As a safety professional one may wonder why the passenger's employer's industry has an effect on the rule. It seems its reasonably practical for the CAA to require this on bigoil...

If you are wondering, the Penzance-Scilly Island service is always within 10 mins of land. A short swim in the Gulf stream warmed Atlantic!

Passenger lifejackets are required for oversea flight. This are tecnically aircraft equipment, unlike the passenger suits. Most offshore helicopte operators will lease you the suits, plus if you want to go for LJs with rebeathers those too.

A good resource on offshore survivability is the Review of Helicopter Offshore Safety & Survival CAP641:http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?categoryid=33&pagetype=65&applicationid=11&mode=detail&id=138