Image: VAI/Mark Bennett Photo Fly Safe: An Opportunity to Enhance Safety Safety rating system concept offers method for evaluating rotorcraft safety technologies. By Chris Hill The Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST), a public–private organization of international regional safety teams, safety authorities, and other vertical flight industry stakeholders, in November introduced the concept of a rotorcraft safety rating system, an initiative aimed at enhancing the safety profile of helicopters without undermining current rigorous certification standards. As someone who’s spent years working in and advocating for rotorcraft safety, I see this project as an opportunity to foster meaningful progress. When I first heard the idea of a safety rating for rotorcraft, I felt a mix of excitement and concern. Could this work? Would it be fair to all stakeholders? Would it help save lives? The answers weren’t immediately clear, but one thing was certain: to continue advancing safety, we must be willing to innovate, collaborate, and even take a few risks along the way. Why a Safety Rating System? The concept of a safety rating system isn’t a panacea. It won’t solve every safety challenge, nor will it erase the doubts of skeptics. But I’d like to focus on what it can do. A safety rating concept offers a starting point for deeper conversations, an invitation for collaboration, and a framework that celebrates safety-enhancing technology as an alternative to the status quo. The VAST white paper “Investigation of a Rotorcraft Safety Rating Concept” lays out the foundational assumptions underpinning the group’s rotorcraft safety rating concept. First and foremost, it acknowledges that all certificated helicopters meet the baseline safety requirements set by regulatory authorities such as the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. In other words, certificated helicopters are inherently safe. The VAST rotorcraft safety rating concept doesn’t seek to undermine this baseline but rather to highlight additional safety measures—technologies and practices that go beyond certification—as opportunities to enhance safety. The VAST Rotorcraft Safety Rating Concept Special Working Group, which devised the system, also acknowledges that: • Safety technologies must be transparent and comprehensible. • The system should incentivize enhancements in both new and in-service helicopters. • Future technological advances should seamlessly integrate into the rating framework. • Human factors play a pivotal role in aviation safety and must never be excluded from frontline operational risk-management considerations. A wide body of investigative research and evidence validates the assertion that human-factor deficiencies play a key role in nearly every aviation accident and incident. The VAST working group saw no need to replicate these well-supported studies. • Instead, the rotorcraft safety rating concept focuses solely on safety-enhancing technologies, some of which have demonstrated the capability of mitigating safety risks linked to common human-factor deficiencies. By excluding human factors from the scope, the working group recognized the immense complexity of these elements while affirming their importance. This is not to sideline the relevance of human factors but to maintain focus on the rating system’s intended purpose. The rotorcraft safety rating concept is designed to: • Encourage safety enhancement: The system aims to incentivize operators and manufacturers to adopt safety-enhancing technologies by providing a transparent and structured evaluation of safety technologies. • Facilitate industry discussion: The rating system serves merely as a proof of concept, encouraging further evaluation, validation, and verification by stakeholders. • Incorporate future innovation: The framework is flexible enough to integrate emerging safety technologies as they become available. The concept draws inspiration from similar rating systems in other industries, such as the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Like the NCAP, the rotorcraft safety rating focuses on both accident prevention and survivability, with an initial weighting of 60% for prevention and 40% for survivability. In fact, the rotorcraft rating system evaluates helicopters based on these two primary categories: • Prevention includes technologies that reduce the likelihood of accidents, such as terrain-awareness systems, collision-avoidance systems, and autopilot features. • Survivability comprises features that enhance safety during and after an accident, such as crash-resistant fuel systems, energy-absorbing seats, and bird-strike protection. Using the bowtie analysis method, the VAST working group identified specific threats, preventive controls, and recovery measures for both categories. Technologies were assessed for their impact on safety, their availability, and their ability to integrate into existing aircraft systems. The Road Ahead Implementing a rotorcraft safety rating system isn’t without its challenges, including: • Cost and complexity: Unlike the automotive industry, where crash testing is feasible, the long life cycle of helicopters (often 40 to 50 years) complicates direct comparisons and empirical testing. • Diverse missions and equipment: Helicopters operate in varied environments and missions, requiring the rating system to account for mission-specific configurations and equipment. • Bias toward newer aircraft: The system may appear to favor newer models, despite efforts to accommodate upgrades and retrofits in older helicopters. • Public perception: Clear communication is essential to prevent misconceptions that older certificated helicopters are unsafe. I understand and respect the concerns raised by releasing the rotor safety rating concept “into the wild.” Some fear the rating system could unfairly penalize legacy aircraft or be weaponized in ways never intended. Others question its objectivity or long-term usefulness. These are valid perspectives, and I acknowledge the potential flaws of such a system. No framework is perfect, and this concept is no exception. However, I believe in the potential for this rating concept to serve as a springboard—a starting point for deeper collaboration and broader acceptance of safety-enhancing technologies. It’s not about dictating a solution but offering a framework inviting industrywide and sector-specific discussion and adoption. Together, we can refine and improve the rating system and ensure that it serves its intended purpose: making rotorcraft operations safer. The VAST working group offers several recommendations for follow-on actions by industry stakeholders: • Operators: Evaluate the applicability of the rating system to current fleets and consider installing available safety enhancements. Engage with VAST to provide feedback and refine the concept. • OEMs: Continue developing and promoting safety-enhancing technologies, ensuring their accessibility for both new and legacy aircraft. • Insurance providers: Explore incentives for operators who adopt safety technologies or recapitalize aging fleets when safety technology upgrades are infeasible. • Industry associations: Deliver educational resources to promote the benefits of safety enhancements and consider actively advocating for, refining, and administering the rating system. Moving Safety Forward This concept, despite its imperfections, represents a meaningful opportunity to move our industry forward. The path ahead will require validation, refinement, and ongoing collaboration. It will also require an open mind and a willingness to embrace change. The goal isn’t perfection but progress—incremental steps that bring us closer to a safer, more innovative future. It’s easy to cling to the status quo, to resist change, and to let fear of the unknown hold us back. But progress requires courage—the willingness to try, fail, learn, and improve. This rating system isn’t about replacing the excellent work done in certification and regulation. It’s about adding another layer of transparency and opportunity. It’s about asking, “How can we do better?” and having the humility to listen to every stakeholder’s voice. Let’s take this journey together. Let’s embrace the potential, address the challenges, and build a safer future for rotorcraft operations. We can use this concept as a foundation for greater collaboration and a shared commitment to safety. I invite you to review the white paper, share your thoughts, and be part of this important conversation. Send your feedback to info@vast.aero. Chris Hill is VAI’s senior director of safety.
