Industry experts attend the Utility, Patrol & Construction Industry Advisory Council meeting. (VAI/Dan Sweet) VAI Industry Advisory Councils meet prior to 2024 Aerial Work Safety Conference Experts gather in Boise, Idaho, to discuss topics relevant to specific industry sectors. Several hundred vertical aviation industry representatives gathered Nov. 19 in Boise, Idaho, for three VAI industry advisory council (IAC) meetings. The VAI Board of Directors established 14 IACs, formerly known as VAI working groups, to leverage industry subject-matter experts to help research and address issues that affect the industry, with the goal of providing recommended solutions to the board. The gathering precedes VAI’s annual Aerial Work Safety Conference (AWSC), a two-day series of briefings focused on strengthening safety in the aerial firefighting, utility, patrol, and construction sectors, as well as in the restricted and experimental aircraft category. UPAC Meeting Approximately 150 industry representatives attended the Utility, Patrol & Construction (UPAC) IAC meeting. A key topic of discussion was the FAA’s draft policy statement on human external cargo (HEC) operations, a common practice within the utility industry. FAA representatives participated in the discussion, encouraging attendees to provide constructive feedback. “Please throw rocks at the plan,” said Roberto Soluren (shown at right), aviation safety inspector for the Flight Standards Service, Aircraft Maintenance Division. “Don’t just tell us something is wrong. Tell us why it’s wrong, and then propose a solution.” The morning session also covered safety management systems, advancements in “side pull” techniques, and jobsite safety and preparedness. Afternoon topics included lessons learned from Hurricane Helene relief efforts, flight data analysis, updates on a training video project, and field incident debriefs. AFFNR and RECA Meetings The Aerial Firefighting and Natural Resources (AFFNR) IAC discussed future areas for association focus, the use of unmanned aircraft systems in aerial firefighting, and field incident debriefs. The Restricted and Experimental Category Aircraft (RECA) IAC meeting concluded the day, with over 100 attendees. Chair David Knowles collaborated with VAI Board of Directors liaison Brian Jorgenson and VAI Director of Flight Operations and Maintenance Zac Noble (pictured at right) to address concerns about FAA Order 8110.56 and perceived deficiencies in guidance for processing restricted category type certificates. A subgroup was formed to review these issues and propose solutions. Attendees also received an update on the Sikorsky UH-60 surplus fleet and met FAA staff members in attendance. AWSC 2024 begins Nov. 20 with a networking breakfast, followed by a full agenda of sessions focused on safety across the utility sector. A highlight of the morning will be the annual “Meet the Regulators” panel session, where attendees can pose questions directly to FAA representatives.
