Mr. Bruceasked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposes to take to introduce electronic monitoring of key components for commercial helicopters following the sheriff's report at the fatal accident inquiry into the crash of a Chinook off Shetland in November 1986; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThe Civil Aviation Authority, which is statutorily responsible for civil aviation safety, tells me that there is no available electronic monitoring equipment capable of detecting the type of fault that occurred in the tragic accident to the Chinook helicopter before failure. Health and usage monitoring systems are now being developed for helicopters as part of a major programme of research into helicopter safety. The research is being funded jointly by the CAA, the United Kingdom Offshire Operators Association and the Departments of Transport and Energy. Operational trials of HUMS are being undertaken in conjunction with Bristow Helicopters, Smiths Industries and Westland Helicopters using a Bristow's AS 332L Super Puma based at Aberdeen in its normal commercial role in support of the oil industry.