The Federal Aviation Administration’s Rotorcraft Directorate will host the 2015 International Rotorcraft Safety Conference April 21-23, 2015, at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas. The conference will feature presentations, exhibits, break-out sessions and speeches from major people in the helicopter community. The purpose of the conference is to reduce the national helicopter accident rate, particularly in the personal/private, instructional/training, and aerial application industries. The audience is expected to be diverse with pilots, mechanics, small company owners, industry executives, operators and government regulators from the United States and abroad.
The conference’s first day, April 21, will open with presentations by National Transportation Safety Board member Robert Sumwalt, survivors of helicopter accidents or near-accidents and an FAA-led discussion on the patterns we see in fatal helicopter accidents. Afternoon sessions are split between pilots and mechanics, with pilots discussing autorotations and health and risk assessments. Mechanics will focus on NextGen technology, human factors in maintenance, supplemental type certificates and a planned website, where information and lessons learned will be shared.
The information at this conference is designed to help pilots, mechanics and others prevent a catastrophic accident. The event is free, and is expected to offer eight hours of Inspection Authorization credits, and possibly WINGS credits.
For more information, visit www.faahelisafety.org.