Nearly nine out of 10 offshore workers have lost confidence in the model of helicopter involved in two North Sea ditchings last year.
A survey found that recent emergencies involving Eurocopter’s Super Puma EC225 aircraft have shattered trust in the aircraft.
About 86% of people working on oil and gas installations are now less confident in the machines.
The Step Change in Safety survey of more than 1,600 people also found most workers got their information on helicopter safety from the Press and Journal – and not their employer or industry bodies.
Last night – despite the damning verdict of workers – Eurocopter said the EC225 could still win back the trust of North Sea passengers.
The survey follows two incidents in the North Sea last year in which cracks in the main gearbox of EC225 aircraft led to the pilots ditching in the water.
The survey results were released at an aviation seminar organised by industry association Oil and Gas UK, with Les Linklater, team leader of the Step Change in Safety organisation, presenting the findings.
He said: “If we had expected this survey to come back and say the workforce was more confident in helicopter transport after the year we had last year, I think we would have all been very surprised.”
Mr Linklater added that nearly 70% of offshore workers had less confidence in helicopter transport as a whole.
“We cannot think of this as an EC225 issue,” he said.
“The EC225 will come back and will be safe to fly again, but there are other airframes out there and there are confidence issues.”
Mr Linklater added that communication was key to restoring confidence among the offshore workforce.
Speaking after the presentation, the industry boss said the purpose of the survey had not been to benchmark confidence in the fleet but to see what more could be done to engage workers and assure them the industry “is taking this very seriously and has the workforce’s best interests at heart”.
“There is no helicopter or production operator in town not investing money, time and resource to make sure we get these helicopters back in service when it is safe to do so,” he said.
A Eurocopter spokesman said the company could restore trust once it got the fleet back in the air.
“The two EC225 incidents in the North Sea in 2012 have led to the flight suspension of the North Sea oil and gas fleet,” he said. “Eurocopter considers that the associated technical issues on the EC225 are now fully understood.
“Eurocopter has defined appropriate solutions and is currently working with the authorities to obtain full validation for the safe return to service of these EC225s.
“We are confident that we will restore trust and confidence in the EC225.”
“The safe operation of the EC225 is the number one priority for Eurocopter.”