CASA grounds Super Pumas

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has grounded all EC 225 helicopters in the wake of a crash in Norway that killed 13 people.

The CHC-operated Super Puma crashed near Bergen on 29 April, prompting the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to order the type out of the sky for commercial operations. Military, customs, police, search and rescue, firefighting, coastguard or similar operations are still permitted.

Today, CASA followed suit, but extended the restrictions to all operations.

"Australian operators had grounded their aircraft from almost all operations anyway," a CASA spokes person said, "and the EASA airworthiness directives also apply automatically in Australia which limits operations, but this formalises the position.

"As EASA's investigation is ongoing, and the root cause(s) of the accident are yet to be determined, CASA considers additional maintenance and operational actions are necessary to ensure the safety of the helicopter.

"The conduct of customs, police, search and rescue, firefighting, coast guard or similar operations are not permitted. The exception is emergency Search and Rescue (SAR) and/or Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and/or emergency evacuation services.

"The aircraft can only be used to conduct emergency SAR and/or EMS and/or emergency evacuation services if no other appropriate aircraft or asset (which may include a motor vehicle or vessel) is available.

"In order for the registered operator (RO) to use a helicopter, the RO must also have a written notification from a responsible State or Commonwealth Government department or agency stating that all available alternate aircraft or assets have been utilised and additional SAR and/or EMS and/or emergency evacuation services capacity is required and unavailable by any other means."

Australia has three registered operators of the EC 225: Bond Helicopters, Lloyd Helicopters and Bristow Helicopters.