The International Helicopter Safety Foundation (IHSF) has begun its sixth annual global survey of civil helicopter operators. The IHSF will use the results to understand where safety initiatives are being implemented—both geographically and by industry segment.

Last year's analysis of 1,000 helicopter accidents pointed to eight leading areas to improve safety: structured maintenance programs that fully comply with manufacturer recommended practices; structured programs for initial and recurrent training; implementation of safety management systems; implementation of flight data monitoring; installation of wire strike kits; implementation of manual and health and usage monitoring systems; and use of night vision systems when warranted, the organization said.

Data from last year’s survey showed that best safety practices were most widely implemented by offshore, air ambulance, and law enforcement operators, and least implemented by electronic newsgathering and private operators, IHSF added.