USHST Safety Report for July 2025
US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST)
Monthly Safety Report
July 2025
USHST Vision: A civil registered helicopter community without fatal accidents
US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Calendar Year Metrics
- The USHST began tracking its new goals for the CY2025-2029 (5-year) timeframe. The goals are by 14 CFR Operating Part, tracking the 5-year average fatal accident rates per 100K hours.
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14 CFR Part
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Baseline, CY2018-2022 (per 100K hours)
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Goal, CY2025-2029 (per 100K hours)
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Progress, CY2021-2025 (per 100K hours)
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91
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0.81
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0.73 (10% reduction)
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0.61
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133
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1.73
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1.56 (10% reduction)
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0.39
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135
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0.33
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0.17 (50% reduction)
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0.36
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137
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1.11
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1.00 (10% reduction)
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1.44
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USHST uses the following as conditions for the fatal accidents included in rate calculations: U.S. registered aircraft, operating in the U.S./U.S. territories (includes offshore), not operating as Public Aircraft (public use).
Helicopter - Safety Enhancement (H-SE) Details
H-SE 2023-04, USHST Fatigue Risk Management Program
It is well known that fatigue-related deficits accumulate relative to factors such as long days, sleep debt, and night work.
But how much fatigue is too much?
Most rotorcraft operators have policies that enable crew members to take themselves out of duty if they feel too fatigued to safely perform their duties. This approach relies on crewmembers’ subjective self-assessment of their own level of fatigue-related deficits. This is problematic because research studies have shown that:
· When we have sleep debt, we systematically underestimate the degree of our own alertness deficits
· When we are fatigued, our perception about risk changes, and we are willing to accept more risk
· Thresholds related to how much fatigue risk is acceptable will vary from person-to-person and may be biased by external factors related to production goals
What is needed is a comprehensive approach to fatigue risk management that:
· covers all sources of fatigue risk
· is based on a quantitative objective framework
· has clear thresholds to identify elevated fatigue risk conditions
· has pre-defined workflows to mitigate fatigue risk
· tracks the effectiveness of the whole fatigue risk management process
...Smartwatch on the Flight Deck
The Rotorcraft Collective
Helicopter Safety OUTREACH events:
· VAI Flight Report (June 2025) - The View from 10,000 Feet
· 10 Lessons I Learnt the Hard Way From 7 Years as a HEMS Pilot
· VTOL Advocate – July 7, 2025
· FAASTeam Notice—Taking Action for Safer Skies
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Please refer to USHST.org to view this entire safety report and its Calendar Year Metrics.
For any questions regarding the information within this notice please contact Clarke Pleasants, Assistant Professor of Aerospace, MTSU, at 615-898-2054 or email at [email protected]