Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent news reports of a crack in the tailpiece of a H175 helicopter operated by NHV from Aberdeen to offshore oil and gas installations; and what steps he is taking to reassure offshore workers about the safety of H175 models.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published an Emergency Airworthiness Directive, relating to the Airbus Helicopters EC175, which mandates inspections of the Horizontal Stabiliser main spar before the next flight, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 10 flight hours.

Airbus Helicopters issued an Emergency Alert Service Bulletin temporarily restricting EC175 helicopters to a maximum speed of 80 knots to facilitate a return to a maintenance facility for these inspections to be carried out. When the EASA Emergency Airworthiness Directive is complied with, the speed restriction no longer applies.

As the UK’s aviation safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monitors all aspects of the operations of offshore helicopter companies and any risks to safe operation through its safety oversight programme and is in close contact with EASA and offshore helicopter operators on this subject. The Secretary of State has not had direct contact on this issue.