Helicopter Association of Canada

Latest News

HAC's 2012 President's Report

Click here to view report

HAC's 2012 Convention a Capital Success

Read the HELICOPTERS Magazine Article

Canadian and North American International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) Metrics Released

Recently the IHST released metrics which relate to regional and world-wide progress in helicopter accident reduction. The goal of the IHST is to reduce the world-wide helicopter accident rate 80%, by the year 2016. Canada has been a participant in the IHST process for four years and while our accident rate is declining significantly, we still have some work to do.

View the Metrics

HAC Adopts Two NEW Best Practices and Amends the Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations

HAC would like to recognize the outstanding work of our Air Taxi, Utility Flight Operations and Oil & Gas Committee members. Fred Jones, HAC's President & CEO commented "These new Best Practice documents represent the culmination of years of hard work by these HAC committees. To their credit, these Best Practices will help "

These documents represent the collaborative efforts of HAC operators and their major customers. HAC operators have been driving this process for years in an effort to articulate the for prudent operators in our industry.

Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations Amendment 1

Helicopter Guidelines for Canadian Onshore Seismic Operations

Utility Flight Operations Best Practices and Safety Guide for Helicopter Operations

Alpine Helicopter's Amendment Application Denied

HAC has received notice that Alpine's application for an amendment to their exemption from the Canadian Ownership requirements dated March 25 2011 has been denied. That is, there is no change to the terms of their existing exemption, which can be found on the CTA site here

Members with questions are invited to contact the HAC office directly.

Flight and Duty Time Working Group Up-Date

For the last 17 months, for about four days each month, HAC and some of its members have been engaged in discussions with Transport Canada and other industry stakeholders over the fatigue management regulations in Canada.

Nominations Open for Agar Stringer Award

Sometimes "Bringing the Industry Together" means taking a moment to pay tribute to our own.

Two trail blazing icons, founders of Okanagan Helicopters, inspired the creation of the Carl Agar/Alf Stringer Award for outstanding contribution to the Canadian Helicopter Industry. From time to time HAC bestows that Award upon someone who has followed their lead. To that end, we invite you to let us know who you think deserves to be applauded in this manner.

Follow this link to download a nomination form.

Your submission should include the name of the nominee and a short written explanation of how you think your candidate impacted and/or inspired the Canadian Helicopter industry in an outstanding manner.

Nominations for candidates for the Agar/Stringer award will be accepted by the HAC Board of Directors up to and including February 4, 2012.

We therefore request nominations be forwarded to the HAC Administrative Office: 130 Albert Street, Suite 500, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4, by fax 613-369-5097 or by E-mail: barb.priestley@h-a-c.ca no later than February 4, 2012. The nominator’s company must be a member in good standing of HAC as at February 4, 2012.

The award will be presented at HAC 2012 in Ottawa, ON – March 17, 2012

HAC Welcomes Heli-One as its Newest Associate Member and Corporate Sponsor!

Heli-One: The World's Largest Independent Helicopter Support Company State-of-the-art repair and overhaul facilities, backed with incomparable expertise allows Heli-One to negotiate superior equipment and parts discounts, harness increased purchasing power and decrease costs associated with post-delivery modifications.

With over fifty years' experience, Heli-One has the experience and flexibility to support operators around the world, operating in any number of challenging situations. Heli-One's customer focused solutions are aimed at minimizing aircraft downtime, decreasing costs and increasing operational agility.

From repair and overhaul, to integrated logistics support – Heli-One does it all. They are your total helicopter solution.

HAC Board Passes Resolution on the Use of Helmets by Flight Crews

In response to a recommendation from the HAC Safety Committee passed at the HAC Convention this Spring, the HAC Board recently approved a resolution on the use of helmets by helicopter flight crews. While helicopter pilots have always had strongly held views about the use of helmets, the issue was brought sharply in to focus when the Transportation Safety Board issued the attached Safety Advisory in the Fall of 2009. The Advisory encouraged HAC to develop an advocacy program aimed at increasing the use of helmets by helicopter flight crews. The Advisory cited a number of helicopter accidents where injuries to the flight crew were reduced, or could have been reduced through the use of a helmet.

The Resolution passed by the HAC Board is as follows:

“HAC strongly recommends to its Operator-Members that they should promote the use of helmets for helicopter flight crew members under all operational circumstances which permit their use.”

HAC's Chair of the Board featured in HAI's Spotlight on Women in Helicopter Aviation Video

This year at the Heliexpo in Orlando, FL, the Helicopter Association International premiered a "Spotlight on Women in Helicopter Aviation" video which showcases the growing involvement of women within the helicopter industry. As the number of women working in the helicopter community continues to grow, women are increasingly filling many leadership roles. The intent of this "Spotlight on Women in Helicopter Aviation" video is to attract and inspire young women to venture into the helicopter industry and also to promote an awareness of the many opportunities for women within the industry. One of the women featured in the video is our own Teri Northcott, President and Operations Manager of Resource Helicopters and HAC's Chair of the Board. The video can be viewed here:

Pilot Qualifications Working Group

Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations – Best Practices Training and Evaluation

In the second quarter of 2007, a concern was brought forth at the Air Taxi Committee meeting during the HAC Annual Convention to further define Pilot Competencies for Helicopter Wildfire Operations. This same movement was then tabled on April 7, 2008 in Calgary at the annual Air Taxi Committee meeting where a sub committee of the HAC Air Taxi Committee was formed as a working group to focus on this movement.