A-20-029
NTSB Safety Recommendation — Aviation
Recommendation text
TO AIRBUS HELICOPTERS, BELL, LEONARDO HELICOPTER DIVISION, MD HELICOPTERS, ROBINSON HELICOPTER COMPANY, AND SIKORSKY: Provide, on your existing turbine-powered helicopters that are not equipped with a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder, a means to install a crash-resistant flight recorder system that records cockpit audio and images with a view of the cockpit environment to include as much of the outside view as possible and parametric data per aircraft and system installation, all as specified in Technical Standard Order C197, “Information Collection and Monitoring Systems.” The recorder system installation should be considered essential equipment that remains installed for the life of the helicopter and have provisions to ensure it remains operational during each flight.
In plain language (FlightFinder summary)
Airbus Helicopters, Bell, Leonardo Helicopter Division, MD Helicopters, Robinson Helicopter Company, and Sikorsky are asked to provide, on their existing turbine-powered helicopters that lack a flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder, a means to install a crash-resistant flight recorder system. This system must record cockpit audio and images covering the cockpit environment and outside view, along with parametric data, as specified in Technical Standard Order C197. The installation should be considered essential equipment that remains on the helicopter for its life and must have provisions to ensure it stays operational during every flight.
This plain-language summary is written by FlightFinder to explain the recommendation above. It is not the official wording — the verbatim NTSB text is quoted above.
Details
| Status | Open - Acceptable Response |
|---|---|
| Mode | Aviation |
| Closed | — |
| NTSB number | CEN17FA252 |
| Addressees | Airbus |
External links
NTSB safety recommendations are advisory; addressees are not legally required to adopt them. Source: NTSB CAROL (public domain).