Following a helicopter crash in New York City’s Hudson River that killed a family of five and the pilot, questions are being asked about the safety of aerial leisure tours. The April disaster came amid changes to rules about helicopter routes over major cities, after a deadly crash between a commercial jet and a military Black Hawk over Washington DC less than three months ago.
The United States operates more commercial helicopters than any other nation, with a market driven by star destinations such as the Grand Canyon. That extensive active fleet is a risk according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records that show a fatal accident rate of 0.63 per 100,000 flight hours for helicopters, which is better than aviation’s general average but worse than commercial airline rates.
Risk factors include pilot error, mechanical failure, bad weather and low altitudes
The agency explains that the toll is higher than the accident rate of fixed-wing aircraft, “probably due to the helicopter’s unique capabilities to fly and land in more diverse situations than fixed-wing aircraft.” It also notes that pilot error can play a role, as pilots attempt “to fly the helicopter beyond the limits of his or her abilities or beyond the capabilities of the helicopter.”
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data agrees, revealing that 80 percent of all aviation accidents are caused by pilot error, or “the human factor.” Other factors frequently involved in accidents include mechanical failures, poor weather, and low-altitude flying.
Both the FAA and NTSB have advocated for years for improvements to safety measures indicated by over 130 helicopter accident investigations since 2004. Among those recommendations are mandatory safety management systems for tour operators, flight risk evaluation programs, and bad weather training for pilots.
What can individual tourists do about safer flying?
While a team of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators now go over the Hudson incident’s causes, experts are issuing advice about precautions individual tourists can take before embarking on a helicopter tour.
Jim Brauchle, a US aviation attorney, told USA Today that would-be passengers should ask helicopter tour operators about their “safety record, maintenance practices and plans for your flight.”
He added that, “You can also ask the operator who’s going to be our pilot and I want to know how many flight hours they’ve had and how many in that type of helicopter,” he said. “If a company won’t give you that information, that’s a red flag as well.”
Travel & Leisure goes further, urging potential helicopter tourists not only to “dig into each company’s safety protocols” but also “ask about their pre-flight checks, weather assessments, and their pilots’ experiences. And, like on a commercial plane, it’s critical for passengers to take responsibility by intently listening to the pre-flight safety briefings so if an accident does occur, they’re prepared.”
