Cougar Helicopters told the Wells inquiry into offshore helicopter safety in St. John's today the company will co-operate fully with the inquiry.
Rick Burt, senior vice-president of VIH Aviation Group, the parent company of Cougar, also expressed condolences to the families of the 17 passengers and crew who died in the March 12, 2009 crash.
"The events of March 12 changed my life forever …and I, like many Newfoundlanders, have been profoundly affected by the events," he said.
"I can only imagine what the families and friends have been going through as they've been going through this struggle from the events, and I just wanted to offer my condolences and my deepest sympathies to the families."
Cougar has the contract to shuttle offshore workers to and from the oilfields off Newfoundland.
In the past 12 years, Cougar has flown more than 58,700 flight hours and made more than 275,000 passenger transfers.
The events of March 12 changed my life forever
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Published on
February 2, 2010
- Published on July 1, 2010
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Staff ~ The Telegram
Cougar senior VP pledges companys full co-operation at inquiry
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Comments
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- L
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:04:48
To David....I didn't say my husband is still going on the helicopters. I said hated ...past tense. we are the lucky ones....
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- D
- - July 2, 2010 at 15:01:23
I found the testimony and video on co-control (control tower, pilot and co-pilot making critical decisions together) very interesting.
Rumour has it that when the helicopter crashed, all three were discussing whether to ditch immediately or make it back to land. Apparently the pilot was convinced he had a 30-minute run dry capability because of Sikorsky and Cougar's documentation. There should be a recording of this conversation.
Let's hope the inquiry lawyer brings this out tomorrow.
Also, maybe she can ask Rick Burt why Cougar has restricted its pilots to flying the S-92 at a maximum of 130 knots - more than 20 knots slower than its maximum cruising speed. Are they worried about the vibrations causing more damage to main gear boxes and more cracks in the transmission mounts?
This is all about offshore oil worker safety!!! -
- David
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:54:37
So my question to L from NL is ''why does your husband continue to get on the helicopter?''
You think it is still not safe, there is no one putting a gun to his head. It is his life afterall. -
- L
- - July 2, 2010 at 14:40:35
changed my life forever... do you think? Sure, I feel for the cougar employees...especially now still having to send people out over the Atlantic in those helicopters. But...absolutely no one is suffering more than the families involved. i hated for my husband to go on those helicopters, even before the crash. there is nothing that will convince me they are safe, and that a tragedy like this won't happen again. god bless the families involved...can't believe it's coming up on a year. unfortunately, i don't see much changing with the inquiry....
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- L
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:54:21
To David....I didn't say my husband is still going on the helicopters. I said hated ...past tense. we are the lucky ones....
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- D
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:49:51
I found the testimony and video on co-control (control tower, pilot and co-pilot making critical decisions together) very interesting.
Rumour has it that when the helicopter crashed, all three were discussing whether to ditch immediately or make it back to land. Apparently the pilot was convinced he had a 30-minute run dry capability because of Sikorsky and Cougar's documentation. There should be a recording of this conversation.
Let's hope the inquiry lawyer brings this out tomorrow.
Also, maybe she can ask Rick Burt why Cougar has restricted its pilots to flying the S-92 at a maximum of 130 knots - more than 20 knots slower than its maximum cruising speed. Are they worried about the vibrations causing more damage to main gear boxes and more cracks in the transmission mounts?
This is all about offshore oil worker safety!!! -
- David
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:40:25
So my question to L from NL is ''why does your husband continue to get on the helicopter?''
You think it is still not safe, there is no one putting a gun to his head. It is his life afterall. -
- L
- - July 1, 2010 at 21:16:41
changed my life forever... do you think? Sure, I feel for the cougar employees...especially now still having to send people out over the Atlantic in those helicopters. But...absolutely no one is suffering more than the families involved. i hated for my husband to go on those helicopters, even before the crash. there is nothing that will convince me they are safe, and that a tragedy like this won't happen again. god bless the families involved...can't believe it's coming up on a year. unfortunately, i don't see much changing with the inquiry....
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