Auditing helicopter flight operations

The RTE Group is a subsidiary of EDF, the French national electricity production company, and is tasked with the management and maintenance of the country’s electrical transmission network. For line maintenance, RTE uses its own fleet of light helicopters, mainly Airbus H125s and H135s, which are grouped together in the RTE helicopter works department (Services des Travaux Héliportés or STH).

Apave Aeroservices has been selected by RTE to provide external audit services of its STH activities over a 3-year contract, with a focus on the organisation and specific helicopter operations, such as nacelle works, heavy load lifting operations, power grid works and maintenance, cable unwinding, water bombing.

Objective of RTE for this contract with Apave Aeroservices is to benefit from an independent third party oversight, with appropriate expertise and credentials to identify possible safety issues and non-conformities, in order to then ensure their mitigation.

The scope of the audits will include the following areas:

• Organisation and management systems
• Fight operations
• Preparation and organisation of tasks
• Maintenance
• Specific operations with qualified technicians (nacelle operators, ground guidance)
• Cargo Operations
• Security