Related safety problem brewing?

We often lower margins to appease politics or, in the case of EMS, financial considerations. Although, I guess in the grand scheme of things, all these decisions are basically financial.

However, there are often flights that can be safely performed if adequate training, procedures, and equipment considerations are addressed. Sadly, this doesn't happen very often.

Case is point:
Many years ago, oil companies asked for the ability to have helicopter sling loads delivered to them in IFR. Helicopter companies, the FAA, and the oil companies got together and developed a safe way to do it. Granted, it was very restrictive and tightly controlled, but there wasn't any bad accidents.

Of course, the oil companies were willing to pay the high cost of having the service!

Now, take EMS:
Everybody wants to fly night VFR. It's a good economic decision but where does it fit in the venue of safe operations?

I could see where one would reasonably require the capability for single pilot IFR (SPIFR) for night flights. Granted, that would require a twin-engine helicopter and more money for training and salaries. Perhaps NVG's are the answer. Maybe two pilots are better than one.

I think there might be many answers but until the industry steps up the challenge and ponies up the money that may be necessary, we will probably continue to slam aircraft into the ground and kill people.

Sad, really.

PS. Consider this: One of the highest accident rates in the country and most of the lowest pilot's salaries.

Acceptable risk, that's what

Submitted by Michael on Sat, 12/05/2009 - 14:33.

Acceptable risk, that's what drives this train (in my opinion). We could absolutely be safer, but would we? How much safer would we be in a tricked out Dauphine. MSP had one with probably every conceivable piece of safety equipment available and sadly lost an aircraft in 2008 with all on board perishing. So you own an EMS Helicopter company and you spend the extra money on all that stuff and the pilot still has a CFIT incident. How do we factor the pilot into the safety equation and the risk assessment profile? Seems to me that the first place we make improvements is in training. Quarterly IIMC recovery at night, unusual attitude recovery at night on a moonless night. Practice in the worst possible conditions so that if they ever occur, you'll have the best possible chance of recovery. Night ops are when the accidents are happening, why isn't training and check rides performed at night as well? Seems ridiculous to me to train for IIMC in clear bright skies. Sim training would be a huge benefit, but it is expensive. How much does a HEMS fatal accident cost a company? So they roll the dice and the vast majority of the flights are performed without event. How much money are company's making-lots, how much are EMS Helicopter Pilots making-little (not to mention SPIFR pilots who generally make little or no more despite the added responsibility). What's the answer, I'm sorry to say I think we need tighter regulation. I love flying, but this is a demanding line of work and has been largely unstructured since its inception. Why are we receiving so little attention in terms of action from the FAA ? How many times has the NTSB made recommendations that have gone unattended?