The safety of helicopters operating in the North Sea is set to improve from this month with the implementation of Norway's modified-automatic dependent surveillance (M-ADS) mandate. From 22 April, helicopters operating in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea will be required to carry M-ADS satellite communication avionics, allowing them to operate in designated M-ADS lanes.
M-ADS involves the automatic transmission of ADS messages to the shore, allowing air traffic controllers to monitor the flight down to sea level. The M-ADS system regularly transmits the helicopter's global positioning system position information, ground speed and waypoint/direction information to an air traffic control centre via Inmarsat satellites.
The M-ADS programme was launched in the early 1990s in response to fears concerning helicopter operations in the North Sea, where approximately one million passengers are transported annually in the Norwegian sector, but much of the area is outside of radar coverage. Helicopter pilots currently make voice position reports every 15 minutes when outside radar coverage and are required to fly a racetrack pattern to maintain separation between inbound and outbound traffic.
Although the mandate takes effect from 22 April, an implementation period is planned through to 1 October to take into account practical difficulties facing operators in equipping their helicopters, says Norway's civil aviation authority Luftfartsverket.
Six helicopters operated by Helikopter Service and Norsk Helikopters have been equipped with the lightweight M-ADS satcom system, which has been specially designed and manufactured for helicopters by Racal Avionics and Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace of Norway.
Source: Flight International