Features Procedures Safety & Training
Blackcomb Aviation captures Innovation in Safety Award

This award is presented to a nominee or organization whose business initiatives have demonstrated a great impact on the overall goal of safe flying operations, including skill development, training and committing additional resources to safety programs. The winner, determined by an award selection committee, receives a $10,000 prize.

“Safety will always be our number one priority and honouring innovative reinforcement of these practices has become imperative to how we think about the future of our industry,” said Romain Trapp, President and CEO, Airbus Helicopters Canada. “We applaud Blackcomb’s dedication to aviation safety helping drive the industry forward with best practices in the field of safety and are proud to recognize their efforts through the presentation of this award.”

Blackcomb Aviation is a privately-owned helicopter and jet company based in Vancouver, operating primarily in British Columbia and the western United States.

“Safety is integral to every component of our operations,” said Jonathan Burke, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackcomb Aviation. “We look forward to continuing to work with industry leaders, service providers and our customers to develop and adopt the best safety practices in the industry.”

Blackcomb Aviation has earned a reputation for safety and customer service because of the safe flying initiatives they’ve implemented within their organization. Key safety programs they’ve created or continued in 2014 include:

• Working
  closely with industry leaders in the development and testing of
  sensor technology for the power utility market and were the first to
  initiate the first “Flying in the Wire Environment” course in
  British Columbia, co-hosted by BC Hydro

• In
  association with Allteck Power Line Contractors, they’re enhancing
  safety by using twin-engine aircraft that adhere to OEI (One Engine
  Inoperative) performance standards
• Reducing
  risk through the development of approved operating practices and
  using approved longline transportation systems for rescues, reducing
  the risk for both the victim and rescuer

In September 2014, Blackcomb Aviation participated in Airbus Helicopters’ Canada’s Hydro Symposium in Toronto, where they shared their approach to safety with a wide variety of organizations involved in hydro operations.

The helicopter industry committee includes: Robert Erdos, Chief Experimental Test Pilot, National Research Council of Canada; Fred Jones, President and CEO, Helicopter Association of Canada; Matt Nicholls, Editor, Helicopters Magazine and Wings Magazine; and Mike Reyno, Photojournalist and Group Publisher, MHM Publishing.