No. H156/13
For release - November 16, 2013
OTTAWA — The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, today announced proposed new regulations to enhance the safety of offshore helicopter operations in Canada. These regulations will:
- prohibit offshore helicopter operations when weather or water conditions make ditching in the water unsafe
- require operators to carry emergency underwater breathing apparatus for each passenger onboard offshore flights; and
- require all crew members to wear a water immersion survival suit specifically designed for crew.
“Our government is committed to strengthening aviation safety for all Canadians,” said Minister Raitt. “We have worked closely with the aviation community to develop these new regulations, which will improve the safety of offshore helicopter operations for both passengers and crew.”
The proposed regulations address recommendations from the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) regarding safe ditching, underwater breathing apparatus and submersion suits. In addition, the department continues to work diligently with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to develop a coordinated international approach regarding helicopter main gearbox design requirements.
Stakeholders will have a 30-day consultation period to comment on the proposed regulations before they are finalized and published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
- 30 -
Contacts:
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.
