People have been injured, some fatally, in helicopter accidents that would not have occurred had they been informed of the proper method of boarding or deplaning. A properly briefed passenger should never be endangered by a spinning rotor. The simplest method of avoiding accidents of this sort is to stop the rotors before passengers are boarded or allowed to depart.

Because this action is not always practicable, and to realize the vast and unique capabilities of the helicopter, it is often necessary to take on passengers or to deplane them while the engine and rotors are turning.

To avoid accidents, it is essential that all persons associated with helicopter operations, including passengers, be made aware of all possible hazards and instructed as to how they can be avoided.

Persons directly involved with boarding or deplaning passengers, aircraft servicing, rigging, or hooking up external loads, etc., should be instructed as to their duties. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to cover each and every type of operation related to helicopters.

A few of the more obvious and common ones are covered below.

These personnel should be instructed as to their specific duties, and the proper method of fulfilling them. In addition, the ramp attendant should be taught to:

The helicopter rotor blades should be stopped, and both the aircraft and the refueling unit properly grounded prior to any refueling operation. You, as the pilot, should ensure that the proper grade of fuel and the proper additives, when required, are being dispensed.

Refueling the aircraft, while the blades are turning, known as "hot refueling," may be practical for certain types of operation. However, this can be hazardous if not properly conducted. Pilots should remain at the flight controls; and refueling personnel should be knowledgeable about the proper refueling procedures and properly briefed for specific helicopter makes and models.

Refueling units should be positioned to ensure adequate rotor blade clearance. Persons not involved with the refueling operation should keep clear of the area.

Smoking must be prohibited in and around the aircraft during all refueling operations.

Rigger training is possibly one of the most difficult and continually changing problems of the helicopter external-load operator. A poorly rigged cargo net, light standard, or load pallet could result in a serious and costly accident.

It is imperative that all riggers be thoroughly trained to meet the needs of each individual external-load operation. Since rigging requirements may vary several times in a single day, proper training is of the utmost importance to safe operations.

Many helicopter operators have been lured into a "quick turnaround" ground operation to avoid delays at airport terminals and to minimize stop/start cycles of the engine. As part of this quick turnaround, the pilot might leave the cockpit with the engine and rotors turning.

Such an operation can be extremely hazardous if a gust of wind disturbs the rotor disc, or the collective flight control moves causing lift to be generated by the rotor system. Either occurrence may cause the helicopter to roll or pitch, resulting in a rotor blade striking the tailboom or the ground. Good operating procedures dictate that pilots remain at the flight controls whenever the engine is running and the rotors are turning.