The European Helicopter Association (EHA) is concerned that proposed EASA rules for flight-time limitations (FTL) now under discussion could seriously hamper EMS operations. The EHA says its case studies in Germany, Italy and Norway highlight the likelihood of more complex organization, higher costs and degraded service. Scientific studies on pilot fatigue conducted by operators should be used to help shape more workable regulations, according to the EHA.
The EHA fears that a one-size-fits-all approach might create limitations too severe for a sector that relies on flexibility, with resultant economic, social and even safety effects. During a presentation at Helitech 2014 Andreas Hjert, a Norsk Luftambulanse pilot, used operations in Norway to illustrate the challenges associated with the new rules. Operators in that country fly approximately 7,500 missions every year from 11 bases. The size of the country makes for long commutes for pilots (between 2.5 and eight hours round trip), and “a basic schedule has matured over time,” Hjert said. Pilots work seven days on/14 off/seven on/21 off, a system that provides availability of 97 to 98 percent, Hjert said.
The projected FTL change would necessitate that operators hire extra crewmembers and each pilot would fly an estimated 40 percent less. Extra helicopters would be needed for training to maintain proficiency. “The additional €26 million [$32 million] per year it will cost will not lead to any substantial increase in performed missions,” Hjert asserted. Rather, the impact would be so substantial that the whole capacity and structure of the service would have to be re-evaluated.
Other European nations would also have to contend with unintended consequences. In Germany, the new rules would carry significant social consequences, said Hjert. “Pilots would have to do more commutes, making job and family management trickier, increasing stress, decreasing motivation and making pilot recruitment more difficult,” he emphasized. The EHA worries that Italy’s public health administration, unwilling to spend more to comply with new FTL rules, will simply cut the number of missions, at a cost of 131 lives not saved in that country.
Moreover, the association maintains that science does not support the proposed changes, citing studies that have revealed little about fatigue in HEMS operations and about “sleep inertia” when the crew receives an alarm at night while sleeping. New studies on crew fatigue are under way at both Norsk Luftambulanse–with the university of Bergen–and at Inaer Aviation Italia. Notably, the latter monitors crew activity with wristbands.
The rulemaking task schedule calls for the next meeting to take place this month at the EASA level.
