GLA Survival suits - Requirement for Survival suits for GLAs

The Civil Aviation Authority ‘CAP 1145’ review of helicopter safety following the 2013 Sumburgh helicopter crash made a series of recommendations, some relating to post-crash survivability.  

Among them was a requirement for use of Category ‘A’ Emergency Breathing Systems (EBS) by passengers and aircrew. Currently no passengers may sit on the inside seats (not next to a window) of a helicopter without a Category A Emergency Breathing System (EBS).

 To meet this requirement the General Lighthouse Authorities of the United Kingdom and Ireland (the GLAs) will be adopting the Category A EBS lifejackets as part of their helicopter contract.

The existing fleet of survival suits within the GLA’s is not compatible with the new Life jacket and therefore in order to have sufficient units available to facilitate the adoption of the CAP 1034 Category ‘A’ standard EBS and lifejacket the GLAs require Survival suits certified to ETSO2C503.