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US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Monthly Safety Report November 2024   Fatal Accident Rate:  0.63 (+.08) above goal of 0.55 fatal accidents per 100K hrs by 2025 USHST Vision:  A civil US registered helicopter community without fatal accidents   “Safety by the Numbers” (Monthly Metrics): Days since last Fatal helicopter accident:  2 Days : 22 Hours : 37 Minutes : 56 Seconds Fatal Accident Rate (5yr avg)(CY2020-24) 0.63 Fatal Accidents per 100K Flight Hours Fatal Accident Rate (CY2024) 11 Fatal Accidents per 100K Flight Hours    Helicopter - Safety Enhancement (H-SE) Details H-SE 2023-05, Training on effects of adverse wind situations.  The goal of this H-SE is to better illustrate the hazards posed by adverse winds on rotorcraft performance, especially when operating at low airspeeds. As an example, similar, but unrelated efforts, have been undertaken in the fixed wing world around loss of control events and the use of Angle-of-Attack (AOA) indicators. Vertical flight operations at low airspeed are predictable when the air-circulation through the rotor system is able to maintain a steady-state. It can be visualized as a bubble of air circulating around the rotor system. If this bubble is disrupted, or “popped”, a corresponding loss of lift can result. This creates a performance scenario that is not indicated by any instruments and is not able to be planned through a chart, but rather is managed by the pilot through a combination of forethought, experience, knowledge of wind directions and intensity around the aircraft, distance from obstacles and power reserves available. Given that it is not currently possible to provide rotorcraft pilots with an indicator that shows an impending loss of lift, this H-SE seeks to promote effective training solutions for pilot decision making and more effective risk assessment during operations. For any questions regarding the information within this notice please contact Clarke Pleasants, Assistant Professor of Aerospace, MTSU, at 928-777-4730 or email at clarke.pleasants@mtsu.edu
FAAST Blast — Week of October 28 - November 3, 2024 Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update   FAA Completes Framework for Air Taxis The FAA is ready for powered lift, the first completely new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s. Powered lift operations include air taxis, cargo delivery, and a variety of operations within urban and rural areas.   The agency issued a final rule for the qualifications and training that instructors and pilots must have to fly aircraft in this “powered-lift” category, which has characteristics of both airplanes and helicopters. The rule also addresses their operational requirements, including minimum safe altitudes and required visibility. The rule is the final piece in the puzzle for safely introducing these aircraft in the near term. The opportunities for the use of powered lift operations are far-reaching, from transporting passengers in urban areas and short-haul operations such as air ambulance services and cargo operations to potentially serving smaller communities over time. For more information, read the Medium blog at https://medium.com/faa/faa-completes-framework-for-air-taxis-to-take-off-8cc2621bcfd8 and visit the advanced air mobility website at https://www.faa.gov/air-taxis.    Latest FTFD Video Reviews Line Up and Wait A line up and wait instruction is used by air traffic control (ATC) to inform a pilot to taxi onto the departure runway to line up and wait. It is not authorization for takeoff. So, why do pilots depart when they are instructed to line up and wait? The answer lies in a variety of human factors that can lead pilots to mistakenly depart. This recent From the Flight Deck video explores some real-life events and discusses the factors that contribute to an unauthorized takeoff roll when a pilot is instructed to line up and wait. See this and past videos here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMxUytwRDiA&list=PL5vHkqHi51DSNpsBC8nb8Q8gFcGVmWhGA.   Don’t Let Disquieting Deviations Become Part of Your Pilot Song Our national airspace system is safe because it functions like an orchestra — everyone has a part to play, knows the song, and has the sheet music in front of them. But even with all of that coordination, who hasn’t made a mistake?  Learn how research and rehearsing can help prevent pilot deviations and make runways safer in “Deviation Dissonance” at https://medium.com/faa/deviation-dissonance-572fc1a2719c in the Sep/Oct 2024 issue of FAA Safety Briefing. See the entire Airport Surface Safety issue at www.faa.gov/safety_briefing.   Produced by the FAA Safety Briefing editors: www.faa.gov/safety_briefing Address questions or comments to: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov Follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter): @FAASafetyBrief or https://twitter.com/FAASafetyBrief
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