Safety
Safety
Safety concerning the operation of the flight, the aircrafts condition as well as your health is always a high priority in a professional operation. Below we have shown several topics we in a professional operation must obey by and follow to make professional aviation as safe as possible for you, topics that also show what is different between a professional and a non-professional operation.
For COVID 19 topics, please visit this page.
Cost-Sharing
Lately a new phenomenon possible inspired from road traffic called Cost-Sharing has also found its way to aviation, where non-professional operations like private pilots offer services to fly for anyone. Many people outside aviation don't know the safety differences between a professional and a non-professional operation, they just see a pilot and an aircraft.
The chart below compare some of the topics that makes professional aviation different from non-professional operations. According to USHST (United States Helicopter Safety Team), there is 12x more risk for a fatal accident with a non-professional helicopter operation, than with a professional helicopter operation. And most accidents are fully or partially pilot related.
Beside a much higher risk for fatal accidents with a non-professional operation, the aircrafts insurance might not cover any liability in case of an incident or accident of a cost-sharing flight. Such cases has happened domestically and internationally where the insurance company does not cover such incident or accident, because the insurance made was not covering the actual usage of the aircraft and the injured passenger(s) had to take the pilot to a civil court for damages.
It is up to you to decide how big or small a risk you can accept on yourself, your lovedones and your friends, when choosing between the professional and non-professional operation.
| Professional Operation | Non-professional Operation | |
|---|---|---|
| Education: | Typical 12-15 month full time comprehensive study and 135-185 flight hours | Typical 4-5 months parttime study and 45 flight hours |
| Flight Exam: | Very stringthen tolerances to pass exam | Less stringthen tolerances to pass exam |
| Flight check: | Every 6 months with very stringthen tolerances to pass check | Every 24 months with less stringthen tolerances to pass check |
| Health of the pilot: | Highest level (Medical Class 1) | Lower level (Medical Class 2 or less) |
| Security, CRM, SMS and other courses | Every 12 months | n/a |
| Flying under supervision from a professional organisation | Yes, one that holds an AOC (Air Operator Certificate - equivilant to Part 121 & 135 in the US) | n/a |
| Preparation before flight | Thorough (several steps and sources taken into account, identifying and possible mitigating safety concerns where needed, filed within the organisation, authorities audit this at least once a year) | Up to the private pilot (some are thorough, some are not), no check from authorities |
| Pilot experience on helicopter | Typically 150-500 hours per year | Typically 10-40 hours per year |
| Maintenance level of helicopter | Highest level and only serviced by a approved maintenance facility |
High level. Or low level with less strict maintenance level with possible some DIY (Do It Yourself) maintenance work done on the aircraft, you just don't know as a customer unless the pilot knows and tells you |
For COVID 19 topics, please visit this page.