Aviation Authority Announcement Clearing Super Pumas to Fly Expected Today
Oil and Gas People has learned that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is expected today to release an update on the Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) that grounded both the EuroCopter EC225 and Eurocopter AS332 L2 Super Pumas.
The current EAD came into effect after a horrific accident On the 29th of April 2016 when a CHC Super Puma making a return flight to Bergen-Flesland Airport, Norway from the Statoil Gullfaks B platform broke up in flight, with wreckage falling on land in coastal waters at Turøy, west of Bergen, Norway. The 13 people on board died in the accident. Witnesses captured video of the main rotor falling separate from the fuselage.
On the day of the accident the local aviation regulator, the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority (Luftfartstilsynet) and then the UK CAA issued operational Safety Directives temporarily prohibiting the use of the type for Commercial Air Transport (CAT):
On 3 May 2016 the EASA, the competent authority for airworthiness across the EU and other EASA Member States, issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) 2016-0089-E. Civil aviation authorities around the world grounded the Super Puma EC225 before extending the grounding to the Super Puma AS332L2. EASA formally grounded all flights on the 2nd of June 2016.
The announcement from EASA is expected to reinstate the airworthiness of the Super Puma fleet and clear the way for european member countries own civil aviation authorities to lift restrictions and reinstate Super Puma flights. Oil and Gas People is following the story closely and will bring you updates as soon as more information is known.
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