Theorical Aspects:
Offshore helideck norms and guidelines
- Relevant guidelines concerning operations on helideck
- Guidelines on documentation concerning landing areas for helicopters
- ICAO standard related to helideck offshore procedures
- ICA/IATA norms concerning dangerous goods
- Offshore emergency response(requirements)
- OPITO manual for HLO
- Manual for helicopter refuelling
Dangers and management system (helicopter and helideck)
Offshore areas for helicopter landing
- Physical characteristics of helideck including “D Value “and access to the escape routes
- Visual indicator of helidecks, light and indications, landing lights, current backup in case of emergency
- surfaces without obstacles:
- 210° sector (free from obstacles)
- 150° Sector with limited obstacles
- Free zone under the level of the helideck – 5:1 downhill
- Limits of maximum height on the helideck
- Landing and perimeter protection nets- purpose and characteristics
- Landing and manoeuvre areas on vessels
Helideck equipment and systems
- The instructor must explain
- Helideck systems including:
- Visual indicators
- Light signals
- Helideck position and movement characteristics (floating installation)
- Helideck certification limitations (HLL limitations)
- Helideck standard plan and equipment:
- Map and ordinary operations equipment
- Firefighting equipment
- Primary tools: foam typology, transport and tests
- Complementary tools required
- DIFFS overview
- Anchoring points
- Meteorological systems and equipment required
- Ordinary helideck checks
- To communicate the helideck defects to the right authority (OIM for example)
Helideck and helicopter dangers
- Human factors which can influence operations safety (tasks, role, individual and organisation)
- Helicopter danger areas
- Rotors movement- personnel contact with rotors
- Bad weather conditions impact on helicopter operations (excessive turbulence)
- Limited visibility effects
- Thermic processes effects: turbine strain and modification of normal aeration, etc.
- Engine fire or cockpit fire
- Electrical dangers
- Dangers linked to the installation stability (during landing and take-off)
- Dangerous goods transportation
- Refuelling operations: fuel leaks, defective equipment
- Items sucked into the rotors area or air intake
- Fluctuating scraps (disintegrated rotors which can hit the personnel)
- Crane operations must stop during helicopter operations
- Obstacles on helideck
- Acoustic dangers-protections required
Knowledge about refuelling operations
- Relevant norms and publications
- Aeronautical fuel: types and additives
- Fuel variations in different ports
- Typical fuel deposit and transport systems
- Inspection and maintenance of refuelling equipment
- Earthing requirements
- Water filtering
- Fuel sample and test- daily and weekly checks
- Fuel registers
HLO responsibilities during helicopter landing and take-off
HLO responsibilities and role
HLO Check, procedures and communications during helicopter operations
- How HLO is recognizable by the helicopter crew
- Standard procedures to be applied before landing, when the helicopter is on the deck and when it takes off
- 30 minutes before
- 10 minutes before
- Immediately before landing
- After landing – rotors (in function) change of direction
- After landing- engine shut off and rotors not in function
- Engine switch-off, roofing fastening following the helicopter crew’s instructions
- Helicopter engine starting
Standards of pre-flight weather reports and their validity
Operations limits due to weather conditions
Installations and floating boats data required by the pilot (inclination, movement, route)
Practical session
Effective communications
- Communications with the personnel involved: pilot, crane driver, standby vessels, firefighting team, HDA, passengers, etc.
- Radio communication between HLO and flight crew (essential dialogues)
- Radio Standard protocols (HDA should transmit only in case of emergency)
- How to make sure that the correct protocol for the signal “free take-off” to the pilot is included by the procedures related to the fixed or mobile installation from which the HLO operates
- Correct protocols concerning HLO-pilot communication, including communications such as “free deck” or “do not land” addressed to the pilot
- Limitation of radio communications and correct use of hand signals
Identification of the type of helicopter
Environmental conditions and changes monitoring
Radio communication system checks
Helideck equipment availability check
HLO must make sure that the helideck surface is free from contaminations, scraps or damages after the take-off
HDA
- Make sure that duties and responsibilities of HAD are understood (helicopter landing and take-off)
- HAD briefing before the operations start including a “tool-box-talk”.
- Make sure that the HAD are in the right position on helideck (during landing, take-off and preparation for emergency response)
- Make sure that the HLO and the HAD are equipped with adequate PPE
- Helideck protocols: Safe approach, anti-collision light off, thumbs up from the pilot
Manual loads handling and passengers traffic supervision
Loads handling supervision:
- Helicopter load limitations and requirements.
- Lifted loads: dangers and procedures
- Load notes checks
- Goods and baggage loading/unloading supervision
- Supervision of correct manual handling techniques during loading and unloading
- Baggage collection supervision
- Dangerous goods identification
- Dangerous goods management: preparation and correct manual handling of goods (IATA /ICAO norms)
- Dangerous goods NOTOC
Passengers traffic supervision
- To verify and interpret information on route plans and passengers manifest
- manifest reception and delivery to the pilot (entering and leaving)
- to verify the safety of passengers’ entry and exit
- supervision on passengers’ safe boarding (on helicopter)
- supervision on passengers’ safe disembarkation (helicopter)
- controls on passengers: check that passengers wear transport suits and life jackets, ear protection and safety belts
Theoretical aspects
HLO: unattended installations
HLO responsibilities on unattended installation
- typologies of unattended installations
- dangers of unattended installations, including guano
- The HLO must be the first to get off the helicopter
- Disembarkation: the HLO must verify the conditions of the unattended installation and decide if the other passengers can get off the helicopter
- Boarding: HLO must make sure that all the passengers are on the helicopter before the take-off
The importance of understanding and following the individual procedures relating to every unattended installation
