Outback Helicopter Operator Fortescue Helicopters Grounded Over Immediate Safety Risk
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has suspended Fortescue Helicopters’ air operator’s certificate after finding a seriously non‑compliant safety culture.
Whoa! The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has taken the dramatic step of grounding Sky High Helicopters Pty Ltd, the operator that trades as Fortescue Helicopters in Western Australia and Queensland.
In findings released yesterday, CASA described the company’s safety culture as “deliberately and systemically non‑compliant.” The authority said the breaches included directing pilots “not to accurately record the total time in service for aircraft operated by the company.”
Owned by Western Australian cattle producer and pilot Weldon Percy, the firm lists mining giants Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto, Glencore and Hancock Prospecting among its clients. Its website claims a fleet of 22 aircraft.
On the company’s site, the headline reads, “Safety, for our pilots and clients is our number one priority,” and adds, “We believe safety is a company culture, not just a practice.”
CASA has suspended Fortescue Helicopters’ air operator’s certificate with immediate effect, citing a “serious and imminent risk to safety.” The duration of the suspension has not yet been disclosed.
All operations are now halted while the regulator reviews the company’s compliance with aviation safety standards.
