NCAA issues safety guidelines on Sikorsky Helicopters
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) yesterday, ordered all airlines operating the Sikorsky S76C series to carry out a safety inspection on this helicopter type with immediate effect.
As an interim safety measure, the under-listed safety inspections affects all Sikorsky S76C series helicopters operating in Nigeria.
The action requires that visual inspection be carried out in accordance with relevant S76C AMM 20-32-00, detailed inspection in accordance with relevant S76C AMM 66-00-00, and detailed inspection in accordance with relevant S76C AMM 66-10-00,66-20-00,66-30-00,66-40-00.
The directive was contained in a letter earlier dispatched to all operators of the affected helicopters types.
Spokesman for NCAA, Sam Adurogboye in a statement said this safety inspection directive must be complied with within 72 hours on receipt of the letter and repeated after every 300 flight hours until further notice.
Adurogboye noted that the authority must immediately be provided with evidence of accomplishment of this directive, adding that this action is in addition to the suspension of Bristow Helicopters operations of S-76 C ++ series and the ongoing audit.
He pointed out that this directive is without prejudice to the ongoing investigation by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) which the NCAA is fully supporting.
He reiterated that the aviation regulatory body would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that air transport is safe and secure in Nigeria.
The NCAA had penultimate week suspended the Bristow Helicopters Limited’s Sikorsky S-76C type of aircraft from flying until further notice.
The Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, said the suspension was to enable the agency to carry out full-scale audit on Bristow operations with particular emphasis on its Sikorsky S-76C family of aircraft.
The suspension came a day after Bristow Helicopters’ controlled ditching of one of its aircraft on Wednesday.
Usman said the suspension was a precautionary step in line with international best practice, and was without prejudice to investigations being conducted by the Accident Investigation Bureau.
The aircraft is an American medium-sized commercial utility helicopter manufactured by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.
It features twin turbo shaft engines, four-bladed main and tail rotors, and a retractable landing gear.
