Alex Knight

The Helideck Certification Agency (HCA) is the world''s leading authority on all matters relating to the safe and compliant operation of helicopter landing areas - onshore, offshore and afloat. Their staff have extensive commercial helicopter operational experience as pilots or crewmembers. Liaising on a regular basis with national civilian aviation authorities throughout Europe, shipping registries, major helicopter companies and oil companies worldwide, they are ideally positioned to serve as the inspection and certification body for all helicopter landing areas. They also act in an advisory capacity for international clients, drawing on their wide and varied experience to offer consultation and training services. The HCA is responsible for the inspection and certification of all helidecks on offshore vessels and installations operating in UK and Norwegian waters - over 700 helidecks in total - utilizing the criteria in UK CAP437 or Norwegian Civil Aviation Regulations BSL D 5-1 as the basis for their inspections. They also inspect and certify helidecks on a global basis for clients using nationally recognized criteria such as CAP437 or the international standard for helidecks as laid out in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) publication Annex 14 Volume 2.