The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) has said there is “growing concern” among its members over the safety of Super Puma EC-225 helicopters.
A statement issued yesterday said an early report published by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) “appears to make a link” between Monday’s incident and the downing of a similar flight in May.
It states: “The root problems appear once again to be with the gearbox shaft and emergency lubrication system. There are now growing concerns among pilots of the safety of this helicopter, as there are among oil and gas workers who regularly fly in it.”
Balpa is now questioning what manufacturer Eurocopter and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have done to ensure the fault identified after May’s incident has been rectified. The statement added: “Our safety experts are currently looking at the issue in detail and we intend to keep our members up to date.”
One of the passengers on the Super Puma that ditched in May said offshore workers have no confidence in the EC-225 model. The man said: “We are reading about the same part again. They need to find out why this is happening.”