U.S. Helicopter Safety Team

The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) is a partnership between U.S. government agencies and helicopter industry organizations formed in 2013 to reduce civil helicopter fatal accidents in the United States. The organization is co-chaired by an industry representative and a government representative appointed by the Federal Aviation Administration, which serves as the USHST's federal government partner. It is the U.S. regional partner of the Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST), an international vertical aviation safety initiative.

History The USHST traces its origins to the International Helicopter Safety Symposium held in Montreal in September 2005, where industry and government representatives agreed that helicopter accident rates had remained unacceptably high for two decades. This meeting resulted in the formation of the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST).

In 2013, the USHST was established as the U.S. regional partner of the IHST to carry the effort forward domestically. The IHST was subsequently renamed the International Helicopter Safety Foundation (IHSF) in 2019, and in 2021 the IHSF was reorganized and expanded into the Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST), with the USHST continuing as a regional partner under the new structure.

In 2024, the U.S. civil helicopter industry recorded its lowest fatal accident rate per 100,000 flight hours in 25 years, according to data presented at the USHST's annual all-hands meeting.

Programs The USHST has developed a series of Helicopter Safety Enhancements (H-SEs), safety initiatives that address the leading causes of fatal helicopter accidents, including loss of control, unintentional flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and low-altitude operations.

U.S. Helicopter Safety Team

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