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OTORCRAFT industry statistics show that, while helicopters have become safer over time, the accident rate has reached a plateau. Several studies of helicopter accidents, such as that of Iseler and De Mai o 1, Fox 2, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with its Most Wanted List 3, have shown that the helicopter accident rate per flight hour is an order of magnitude greater than that for civilian airlines, and that about 60% to 85% of rotorcraft accidents are caused by pilots’ actions or errors. An improvement in rotorcraft safety remains a priority and requires better understanding and knowledge of events occurring in the cockpit. In this context, the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) 4 has been formed to coordinate and focus industry efforts on improving rotorcraft safety.

Safety can be a rather subjective concept that is rarely easily quantifiable and measurabl e 5, 6, 7. However, it may be …