Wed, Nov 04, 2009
First Dedicated HEMS Operator To Implement FAA Approved
Program
Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH) has received FAA approval
for their HFDM/FOQA program, the first dedicated HEMS provider to
reach that goal. The ACH HFDM program will serve ACH's fleet of two
S76 C+ Single Pilot Instrument (SPIFR) equipped helicopters and
will provide increased visibility into the ACH flight operations.
HFDM provides significant safety benefits to ACH using previously
unavailable data to improve the problem identification and
definition process and provide for assessment and resolution of
systemic safety issues.
"The entire ACH aviation team, also known as Angel One Transport,
including flight safety, flight training, flight operations,
maintenance and crewmembers will benefit from this important safety
program," said ACH Director of Aviation, Bernard "BJ" Raysor.
"Crucial to the success of the program are specific incentives that
ensure both ACH and its pilots are protected from FAA certificate
action or civil penalties as a result of information and data that
are collected and analyzed by the HFDM program. In establishing
these incentives ACH and the pilot group have agreed to use this
confidential data to conduct trend analysis of flight operations,"
Raysor said.
ACH hired system integrator and system safety consultant,
CAPACG, LLC to oversee the implementation and operation of the
HFDM/FOQA program. CAPACG Vice President of FDM services, Stuart
"Kipp" Lau points out key areas that distinguish ACH from other
FAA-approved programs, both fixed-wing and helicopter. ACH is the
first dedicated HEMS operator to gain FAA-approval of a FOQA/FDM
program. ACH is the first small operator to gain FAA-approval
with only two aircraft, 10 pilots and no labor organization. In the
past these where considered barriers to implementing a formal FOQA
program. Many of these barriers were overcome by using a
third-party contractor to accomplish the initial implementation,
event definition and programming, analysis and initial
reporting. Among the other first, ACH is the first HEMS
operator to utilize a light recorder system for Helicopter Flight
Data Monitoring.
"CAPACG is extremely pleased to assist ACH with the development,
implementation and operation of their HFDM/FOQA program. Bringing
active flight data monitoring to HEMS operations will be an
important factor in identifying threats and providing mitigation
strategies to improve safety and efficiencies for this segment of
aviation," Lau said.
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