Over the course of four days Bob Muse, Robinson Helicopter’s Director of Flight Safety, visited four New Zealand regions to meet with Robinson Helicopter owners, operators and pilots to discuss the NZ climate toward Robinson Helicopters. Being that both Heliflite and Oceania Aviation are Robinson distributors in New Zealand, we were involved in hosting these events. The tour started in Christchurch, then to Wanaka followed by Taupo and finished in Auckland.

Bob Muse is both a highly experienced pilot (over 18,000 flight hours) and accident investigator whose key responsibilities involve aircraft accident inspection and teaching the Robinson safety courses.

Muse introduced both his own and Frank Robinson’s background, speaking fondly of the Robinson founder who after spending many years working for other helicopter manufacturers designed what we now know as the R22, R44 and R66. Muse spoke on his recollection of how Robinson made their factory training courses a top priority, often cancelling meetings and on occasion vacations to spend time bonding with and teaching the very pilots who flew his aircraft.

Muse talked of Robinsons love for New Zealand and how he often called Kiwis pioneers in the use of helicopters.

“Probably one of the most dangerous things to do is to fly light aircraft” was Muse’s opening statement for his presentation. Comparing flying light aircraft to that of riding motorbikes, dangerous but when flown or driven within their limits quite safe. “And it takes a series of minor mistakes to bring down an aircraft. However, it is easy for a pilot to break the chain of events that eventuates in an accident.”

Robinson Helicopters are looking to make changes to their pilot operating handbook. These proposed changes include adding certain aspects of their safety awareness training, increasing hour requirements before solo flights and detailing specific types of flying necessary before type ratings are signed off.

Robinson Helicopters believe the key to reducing the New Zealand rates of accidents seen in Robinson aircraft involve working closely with CAA, TAIC, and various pilots associations to work on improving education, training, standardization and regulatory oversight. And that only when there is co-operation between these various organisations will this work.

Muse spoke on how every pilot relies on three things when flying. Education, Training and Luck. The more education and training received the less they rely on luck. This is exactly why he firmly believes both education and training need to be a continuous and constant aspect on any and every pilots career.

“How often do you complete recurrence training?” he asked those who attended.

For this very reason Muse will be returning to New Zealand in October to hold safety courses in Auckland, Nelson and Wanaka.

Muse’s belief is that complete flight safety is something that is un-achievable but something to strive for and the only way to do so is through continuous education and training.

As an accident investigator Bob Muse has traveled the globe reviewing and assisting in accident investigations and states that “Each and every incident/accident are unique”. Unique in regard to the chain of events that ultimately lead to the undesired result.

The presentation dove into statistics of helicopter crashes in New Zealand compared to that of the USA, revealing the NZ Robinson fatality rate to be 9 times worse than the US.

Because of our high rate of accidents the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) have added Robinson helicopters to their watchlist, their highest alert. This has resulted in the Department of Conservation (DoC) inhibiting their staff from using Robinson helicopters for their operations. Tourism New Zealand and TVNZ have followed suit.

Robinson Helicopters are working around the clock to have their aircraft removed from the TAIC watchlist, claiming there is no issue with their machines but rather the conditions in which they are being flown.

Muse went into the four key reasons he believes crashes occur.

                        1. Wire Strikes

                        2. Inadvertent IMC

                        3. Low Rotor RPM

                        4. Exceeding Limitations

The topic of exceeding limitations brought forward the conversation of low-G mast bumping, an occurrence Muse claims is “entirely avoidable”. Low-G Mast Bumping has become a common topic for many conversations across New Zealand over the past two years, both within aviation circles and the general public.

At the conclusion of the presentation the room was open for discussion which quickly focuses on our high accident rates with many adding their opinion on causality.

The issue of culture was discussed, some feeling that ours is of pushing helicopters to their limit which has become a key factor in our increased accident rates. And that this culture is one born out of pressure to complete a job within a time budget. Another attendee brought up the issue of pilots flying numerous aircraft types within the same week, something that is bound to impact pilot reactions.

Muse's conclusion was that there are a wide range of factors contributing to aircraft accidents both in New Zealand and abroad, most of which can be removed due to education and training.