Tue, Feb 14, 2012
Organization Dedicated To Tour Operator Safety
Helicopter Flight Services (HFS) of New York City was welcomed
into the helicopter Tour Operators Program of Safety (TOPS) at the
TOPS meeting Saturday at Heli-Expo in Dallas.
“We’re thrilled to welcome HFS to TOPS and commend
their commitment to helicopter tour operation safety,” said
TOPS Chair Tim Cudney. “Choosing to become a member of TOPS
and continue to meet our requirements is a significant commitment
of time and resources. In a time when the public is questioning
helicopter tours, it is extremely important to invest in safe
operations. We look forward to Helicopter Flight Safety’s
contributions to increased helicopter tour safety.”
“HFS is constantly looking to improve on safety and
service. By joining TOPS, HFS hopes to gain additional credibility
and exposure which will enable us to continue to grow and
prosper,” said Helicopter Flight Services Safety Officer Fred
Hanna.
HFS provides tours of the New York City area from the Downtown
Wall Street Heliport as HeliNY. Operating in New York since 1986,
HFS operates the Bell 406 helicopter and recently took delivery of
three new Bell 407GXs, each equipped with the Garmin 1000H,
designed with Synthetic Vision and Enhanced Terrain Avoidance, and
with the Bell’s “Quiet Mode” technology to reduce
noise impact in New York City. One of HFS’s 407GX aircraft is
on display at the Bell Helicopter Booth here at Heli-Expo.
TOPS is a non-profit safety organization dedicated to increasing
the safety of helicopter tour operations in the United States.
Founded in 1996, the organization worked with the FAA, NTSB and the
Helicopter Association International (HAI) to identify areas within
a tour operator’s management, flight operations, maintenance,
ground personnel and equipment that could be enhanced beyond FAA
Part 135 regulations. From there, it designed its comprehensive
program of safety. Every TOPS regular member must meet the
program’s requirements and pass an annual independent initial
audit to confirm it meets or exceeds the program.
Helicopter operators wishing to join the organization must first
receive a review by a TOPS member mentor then pass a rigorous new
member audit designed to confirm the company meets or exceeds TOPS
safety requirements. HFS spent the fall updating their operation to
meet the TOPS requirements, received a mentor visit in December
2011, and passed their audit in January 2012. TOPS welcomes any
Part 135 helicopter operator with a regular, scheduled and
advertised helicopter tour operation within the United States to
apply for membership.
More News
Airbus Racer Demonstrator Makes Inaugural Flight Airbus Helicopters' ambitious Racer demonstrator has achieved its inaugural flight as part of the Clean Sky 2 initiative, a corners>[...]
A little Bit Quieter, Said Testers, But in the End it's Still a DA40 Diamond Aircraft recently completed a little pilot project with Lufthansa Aviation Training, putting a pair of >[...]
Line Up And Wait (LUAW) Used by ATC to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway to line up and wait. It is not authorization for takeoff. It is used when takeoff clearance >[...]
Contributing To The Accident Was The Pilot’s Use Of Methamphetamine... Analysis: The pilot departed on a local flight to perform low-altitude maneuvers in a nearby desert val>[...]
From 2015 (YouTube Version): Overcoming Obstacles To Achieve Their Dreams… At EAA AirVenture 2015, FedEx arrived with one of their Airbus freight-hauling aircraft and placed>[...]
Airbus Racer Helicopter Demonstrator First Flight Part of Clean Sky 2 Initiative
See All