In an effort to highlight the operating practices of a number of helicopter companies, Spanish pilots union Sepla has pledged its support to pilots who cease flying once they "exceed this year's legal work limit of 2,000h".
Spanish helicopter operators have expressed concern over Sepla's interpretation of actual flying time as a number of pilots are expected to reach the legal requirement this month.
Sepla has accused some helicopter operators of "deliberately ignoring the flying conditions of their helicopters". The union suggests that this neglect contributed to the fatal crash earlier this year of an emergency medical services helicopter in the Canary Islands.
The operating contract, Sepla says, "clearly specifies that all medical emergency flights must be operated with a fully type-certificated co-pilot. This flight was operated with a single pilot."
The union is also stepping up its campaign against the use of former military equipment, authorised by the Spanish civil aviation authority for "restricted" use. "These are 20- to 30-year-old helicopters that have a higher accident rate than newer types," Sepla says.
The union suggests the non-fatal accident in July of a Bell 205 firefighting helicopter "could have been avoided if the aircraft had the powerful engine of a more modern aircraft".
Sepla has been accused by Spanish helicopter operators of opportunism. "It wants to gain visibility among helicopter pilots," says an unnamed operator. "The talk about restricted operations has no other objective than getting into the media at a time when helicopter operators and Sepla are negotiating a new collective labour agreement," it says.
There is a shortage of helicopter crews in Spain, the operator adds, and the action proposed by Sepla "will not create more posts for pilots, but reduce the activity of operators and ultimately make the employment environment more unstable," it says.
RAINER UPHOFF / MADRID
Source: Flight International
