Virus Outbreaks of the Novel Corona Virus
MESSAGE FROM PETER MOELLER, EHA CHAIRMAN
Dear Colleagues,
I do not need to tell you about the actual devastating situation of the entire aviation sector due to the alarming proportions of the global Coronavirus pandemic. Currently, most of the operations had to shut down completely, production lines have stopped, and airports are at a minimum level of operation. There is no aspect of our lives exempt, and our thoughts are with all those people fighting every day, either for their lives or for saving lives, and with all those who have lost their dear ones.
Despite all this, there are helicopter crews on duty every day to provide vital services to the community. They are performing HEMS in support of the National health care systems, while Offshore helicopters keep offshore installations up and running; and pipeline and power line patrolling helicopters keep our energy systems secured. In many countries like the UK and Germany, civil operators and even private owners offer their helicopters and fixed-wing to move medical and protective equipment and specialized medical personnel to places where they are urgently needed.
COVID-19 patients are transported by helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft from countries where the medical facilities are exhausted to countries where there are still free intensive care beds available.
EHA and the National Helicopter Associations work closely with EASA and the CAAs to find practical operational working solutions which can keep our crews and helicopters flying, always assuring the highest level of safety and protection.
On the EHA and EASA homepage, you will find information on best practices and OEMs recommendations received from our members. We kindly encourage you to read and circulate them to your network. We also welcome any particular procedure you wish to share with the helicopter community.
Although we do not have a crystal ball to see when this extremely challenging situation will end, we still have to look ahead and develop plans to get to normal operations. Now more than ever, we can succeed only by closely working together.
Stay healthy and fly safely!
INFORMATION FROM EASA
EASA has created a dedicated section on COVID-19 which can be found here
EHA has recently published under the section "news" the following EASA articles:
- EASA publishes updated versions of the guidelines for Aircrew and Air Operations on the use of extended exemptions
- EASA issues guidance on use of dry ice in COVID-19 vaccine transportation
- Guidelines for COVID-19 testing and quarantine of air travellers
- Guidelines: Return to service of aircraft from storage in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 Return to Flying Advice
- Recommendations for Helicopter Ops during Covid-19 pandemic
- Safety Information Bulletin Aerodromes – Operations SIB No.: 2020-02R5
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 14 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA launches programme to monitor the implementation of its COVID-19 operational protocol
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 13 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA/ECDC issue joint guidelines to assure health safety in air travel despite COVID-19 pandemic
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 12 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 11 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 10 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA Guidance for continued helicopter operations_Issue 2
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 09 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 08 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA has issued Annex 1 – Issue 07 to EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 and SD-2020-02
- EASA Safety Information Bulletin - Coronavirus ‘SARS-CoV-2’ Infections – Operational Recommendations
- EASA Guidance for continued helicopter operations
- EASA Guidelines for the transport of covid-19 infected patients using containment devices- exemptions under article 71(1) of the Basic Regulation
- EASA processing new aircraft configurations for medical transport at high priority
- EASA issues safety directive to combat spread of COVID-19 via airline travel
- EASA Safety Directive SD-2020-01 - Operational measures to prevent the spread of Coronavirus `SARS-CoV-2` infection
- EASA issues safety directive to combat spread of COVID-19 via airline travel
EHA INFORMATION NOTICE
Download here the full document
INFORMATION FROM EU COMM
Links to the documents listed in the Information Notice:
Airbus Information letter 1, 2, 3
Technical Notification Bulletin (received from Norsk Luftambulanse, Norway)
DGSCGC Protocole (document in France language received from Union Française de l'Hélicoptère)
UK CAA Safety Notice (received from the British Helicopter Association)
OGUK Helicopter Transfer Flowchart (received from the British Helicopter Association)
Up & Away company presentation, Bacoban presentation