THE fatal helicopter crash at Bulli Tops raised concern in the aviation industry over the number of aircraft yet to receive safer fuel tanks.
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Robinson 44 (R44) helicopters, like the one that crashed last month and the one that crashed at Jaspers Brush last year are required to be fitted with bladder-type fuel tanks by April 30.
However, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau believes about 100 R44 owners will not have installed the safer fuel tank by this month’s deadline.
For most owners of R44 helicopters it is a legal requirement to replace their fuel tanks before April 30.
Bolong resident and helicopter pilot Max Cochrane has an R44 which was already fitted with the fuel tank bladder when he bought it.
“Any Robinson 44s made since 2010 would have been fitted with those tanks already,” Mr Cochrane said.
“It is a specialised tank that has to be made and the demand has been higher than the supply.
“I think that’s why R44 owners were given the time to have the tanks fitted.
“I doubt there would be many of them flying with these tanks anyway, but according to CASSA they will be grounded if they’re not fitted by the end of the month.”
Terara helicopter pilot Graeme Harrison flies a Robinson 22 (R22) which he said was not affected by the fuel tank issue.
However, he was aware of the fuel tank problem and knows R44 pilots.
“I believe the main reason why there might be some R44 fuel tanks that aren’t fitted with a bladder is that the manufacturer can’t keep up with the demand,” Mr Harrison said.
“There wouldn’t be a pilot that wouldn’t want to fit the bladder fuel tank.
“This has always been an issue with R44s but there’s not many helicopter rollovers where people survive anyway.
“All helicopters have the potential to be a bomb.”
The ATSB released its preliminary investigation report into last month’s accident.
It highlights the similarities of that accident with others involving R44 helicopters with all-aluminium fuel tanks.
In the Bulli Tops accident the helicopter caught fire after striking a tree and colliding with the ground.
The pilot and three passengers died in the accident.
The circumstances of this accident are consistent with two recent R44 accidents in Australia where the all-aluminium fuel tank ruptured, resulting in a fuel-fed fire after impact.
