Ecocopter invests in safety by installing IRIS system

As a lot of helicopter operators tighten their financial belts and defer safety initiatives to what everyone hopes are better and more profitable times ahead, Ecocopter did just the opposite. The company conducted an extensive review to find the most advanced Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) and live communications system available from a partner with real-world experience and showed the most room for growth in the future. The result was a partnership with Outerlink Global Solutions to integrate the IRIS system into their fleet and collaborate to develop a truly seamless satellite-based communications system for South America.

"Building a sophisticated Flight Data Monitoring and communications network must be a phased-in process to yield solid safety benefits," said Outerlink Vice-President of Sales Jeff Warner. "This concept has been proven by all the large, global helicopter operators. Ecocopter recognized the value of IRIS and wanted to provide their customers with a safety solution that exceeded current market offerings."

Exceeding customers’ safety expectations

Armando Weinberger, CEO of Ecocopter Chile, affirmed that ‘we know there is no cookie-cutter approach to safety that really delivers, and Outerlink brings much more than just another vendor or supplier. The innovations being developed by Outerlink through IRIS will have industry-changing impacts, and we are thrilled to be a committed partner with Outerlink, where these technological leaps will flourish’.

Authorities from the Chilean, Ecuadorian and Peruvian General Directorate for Civil Aviation have accepted Outerlink's FAA Supplemental Type Certificate for the Airbus AS350, with plans to add the EC135 and EC145. Enhanced power on to power off recording capabilities and provisions for multi-access satellite coverage are already being installed in the aircraft. Communication tools and FDM algorithms are yielding solid operational improvements through the IRIS Cloud FDM services.

"We are seeing operational improvements every day, and more importantly, we have accurate data that confirms our safety efforts have produced a pilot and maintenance staff that exceed our customers' safety expectations," said Gina Guerrero, FDM Chief. "The Outerlink IRIS system has remained on the leading edge of safety innovations, and we are proud we can deliver these improvements to our valued customers."

Meanwhile, the US National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) 2021–2022 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements includes to ‘install crash-resistant recorders and establish flight data monitoring programs’.