Sea World Helicopters' passenger safety briefing system, comprising of a passenger safety briefing video supplemented by safety cards and ground crew advice had limited, inconsistent and incorrect information about correct fitment of seatbelts, location and emergency operation of the EC130 doors, and the emergency brace position.
Updates to the operator's safety briefing system, have addressed limited and inconsistent information about the EC130 doors and the emergency brace position. While the fitment of seatbelts in the operator's safety briefing is not consistent with guidance and does not describe the requirement to ensure the lap portion of the seatbelt remains low and tight, other actions taken by the operator have reduced the risk that a passenger will be incorrectly restrained.
Sea World Helicopters updated its safety briefing video and provided a copy to the ATSB in September 2024. The briefing included changes to the demonstration of seatbelt fitment in the EC130 and had new information about the location and operation of the EC130 doors (including the emergency jettison system). The operator also provided a copy of its current briefing cards for the EC130 which depicted an appropriate brace position.
In February 2025, the operator provided the ATSB with an additional updated version of its safety briefing video that included the brace position. The operator advised that the fitment of seatbelts procedure that is depicted in the safety briefing video includes securing one side of the harness to the lap strap before tightening. While not in accordance with guidance (to connect the lap portions of the seatbelt first and tighten before inserting the harness), the operator reported this ‘helps prevent seatbelt twists and allows ground crew to adjust the belts to the correct tension and positioning. Based on our [SWH] experience with fully loaded aircraft, identifying a twisted seatbelt is significantly more challenging than adjusting a belt that is initially positioned higher’.
In addition, all ground crew and pilots have received training on the importance of the lap portion of the seatbelt remaining low and tight.
The ATSB acknowledges the effort made by the operator to address this safety issue, and the operator’s acknowledgement of correct fitment of seatbelts and the importance of it. However, the changes to the briefing video have not fully addressed the safety issue. More specifically, the fitment of the seatbelts in the EC130, while demonstrated to be fitted with the buckle on the person’s pelvis, are not fitted as recommended by guidance. That is, the lap portion of the belt should be fitted and tightened first, before fitting the safety harnesses. The operator provided further information to explain that the method of fitment was chosen to address an additional hazard. The safety briefing, which is information for passengers did not adequately explain, either visually or verbally that, if fitted in the manner that the operator depicted in their video that the lap portion must be tightened so that it will remain in a low and tight position.
The ATSB encourages manufacturers of constant wear lifejackets to provide operating instructions and/or guidance material to operators of aircraft on how to wear and use a constant wear lifejacket with a seatbelt (of any configuration) such that it does not interfere with the performance of the seatbelt during an accident.
Further, the ATSB encourages certification authorities to modify lifejacket standards to include the requirement for instructions on how to wear constant wear lifejackets while seated and wearing a seatbelt.
The ATSB encourages those organisations capable of research to determine a correct method of wearing a constant wear lifejacket with a multipoint seatbelt, while ensuring the correct function of each.
