Restrict N.L offshore chopper flight hours: MP

A federal politician from St. Johns is calling on the helicopter safety inquiry to recommend restricting the hours that choppers can transport workers offshore.

The Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry was set up after a helicopter carrying oil industry workers crashed about 55 kilometers east of St. Johns on March 12, 2009. Both pilots and 15 passengers died.

Inquiry Commissioner Robert Wells and the petroleum board that regulates Newfoundland and Labradors offshore oil industry have already ordered Cougar Helicoptersto reduce emergency response times and stop flying workers to offshore platforms at night.

Now the NDP's Jack Harris says the company's Sikorsky S-92 helicopters shouldn't be allowed to transport workers before 8 a.m., after 4 p.m., or on weekends.

During those times military search and rescue helicopters based in central Newfoundland and Nova Scotia may take up to two hours to respond to an emergency.

Thats two hours from the time they receivea call to the time ahelicopter lifts off from itsbase.

"As long as that Canadian Forces Response time is as slow as it is and inadequate in my view then there may have to be more severe restrictions on the use of helicopters to transport offshore," said Harris, MP for St. Johns East and defence critic for the federal NDP.

Harris commended Wells and the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board for making changes earlier this year that are expected reduce the response time for Cougar search and rescue helicopters in Newfoundland to 15 minutes.

2 hours too long to wait at sea

Cougar is contracted by oil companies in the province to be the first responder to oil industry emergencies but the second responders are Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopters and Harris said two hours is too long for someone in the ocean waiting for help.

"A first responder may not be enough if we actually have a crash in which there are 18 people in the water. [In that case] more than one helicopter is going to be necessary," Harris said.

"That's the context in which the commissioner has to make a recommendation about whether or not there can be flights outside of this 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. window. He can tell Cougar that they can only fly when the Canadian Forces helicopters are available, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays."

The militarys response time is 45 minutes during those times.

Wellss response to Harris was non-committal.

"Obviously you have touched on things that concern me very much and to which Im not sure if there is an answer at this stage in our offshore [industry]," he said Wednesday.

Last February, the board that regulates Newfoundland and Labrador's offshore oil industry has ordered companies to take immediate steps to improve the safety of people flown to platforms by helicopter.

The changes ordered Feb. 12 by the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board were prompted by preliminary recommendations from Wells. Cougar was ordered to reduce response times from one hour to 15 minutes and stop night flights until it has helicopters equipped to perform search and rescue operations at night.

Cougar is expected to achieve those goals by late 2010.

Final submissions to the inquiry are expected to wrap up Thursday; Wells has promised to complete his report by late October.

That will end the first phase of the inquirys work. Completion ofthe second phase depends on the Transportation Safety Board.

Once theboard finishes a report on its investigation of the crash of Cougar flight 491, Wells is expected to make further recommendations on how to improve helicopter safety.

Theboard has completed a draft report on its investigation but TSBofficials said it may be 2011 before the final report is completed.