About

Independent rotorcraft
safety editorial.

FAAHeliSafety is an independent editorial reference for US helicopter pilots, instructors, Part 135 operators, and aviation safety teams. Every claim cites a primary source: the FAA, the active eCFR text of 14 CFR, an NTSB report, a USHST recommendation, or a manufacturer Rotorcraft Flight Manual.

We don't aggregate from secondary blogs. We don't paraphrase regulatory text. We don't sell flight training, certifications, or aircraft. The library is funded entirely by its operator and remains free to read.

Editorial framework

Five principles every article follows

Testable rules. A guide that violates one is a correction, not an opinion.

  1. 01

    Primary sources only

    Every operational, regulatory, or safety claim links to a primary source: the Federal Aviation Administration, the active eCFR text of 14 CFR, an FAA Advisory Circular or Order, an NTSB accident report or safety study, a US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) publication, or a manufacturer Rotorcraft Flight Manual or Pilot Operating Handbook. We do not cite aggregator blogs, training school marketing pages, or social posts as authority.

  2. 02

    Helicopter scope, no fixed-wing drift

    We cover US rotorcraft operations under 14 CFR Parts 27 (normal-category rotorcraft), 29 (transport-category rotorcraft), 61 (pilot certification - helicopter category), 67 (medical), 91 (general operating), 133 (external load), 135 (commuter/on-demand including HEMS), and 137 (agricultural). Fixed-wing-only material is out of scope.

  3. 03

    Citation density over volume

    Patent-grade reference content requires that every meaningful claim survive removal from context. Each guide is engineered so individual sentences carry their citation - the exact CFR section, AC number, NTSB report ID, USHST recommendation, or manufacturer manual reference - rather than being clustered into a single bibliography paragraph at the end.

  4. 04

    Date-anchored freshness

    Regulations change. Every guide carries a publishDate and dateModified in its schema. We review high-traffic and high-impact pages (Part 91 minimums, Part 135 currency, medical certification, IIMC procedures) on a quarterly cycle and stamp the review in the article header. If we cite an Advisory Circular, we cite the version (90-95B, not 90-95).

  5. 05

    Corrections are a process, not an event

    Spot a factual error - wrong CFR section, outdated AC, misquoted FAA guidance, stale POH reference - and email the editor with the primary source. Verified corrections are dated, applied to the live article, and noted in our public corrections log. We do not silently edit factual changes.

Scope

What we cover

US helicopter operations under 14 CFR. Not fixed-wing. Not airline.

Regulatory framework

  • 14 CFR Part 91 - General Operating and Flight Rules
  • 14 CFR Part 135 - Commuter, On-Demand, and HEMS Operations
  • 14 CFR Part 27/29 - Rotorcraft Certification Standards
  • 14 CFR Part 61 Subpart H/I - CFI-H and Helicopter Add-On
  • 14 CFR Part 67 / Part 68 - Medical Certification & BasicMed
  • 14 CFR Part 133 - External Load Operations
  • 14 CFR Part 137 - Agricultural Rotorcraft

Helicopter safety domains

  • Inadvertent IMC (IIMC) entry, recovery, decision-making
  • Crew Resource Management (CRM) for single-pilot and multi-crew
  • Safety Management System (SMS) per 14 CFR Part 5
  • Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) - FAA AC 60-22
  • Loss of Tail Rotor Effectiveness (LTE) - FAA AC 90-95B
  • Settling with power, dynamic rollover, mast bumping
  • Brownout / DVE (degraded visual environment) operations
  • Wire-strike and CFIT (controlled flight into terrain)

Operational reference

  • Weight & balance, performance charts, density altitude
  • Autorotation training and proficiency standards
  • Hover performance, IGE/OGE, hover ceiling
  • Pre-flight, run-up, shutdown procedures
  • Confined area, pinnacle, off-airport operations
  • Helicopter EMS (HEMS) Part 135 Subpart L
  • Tour, utility, ENG, law enforcement operations
Sources

Primary citation authorities

Every guide on FAAHeliSafety links back to one or more of these.

  • FAA Federal Aviation Administration →

    Advisory Circulars, FAA Orders, FAA-H handbooks (FAA-H-8083-21B Helicopter Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-2 Risk Management Handbook), Airman Certification Standards (ACS)

  • eCFR Electronic Code of Federal Regulations →

    Live 14 CFR text - Parts 27, 29, 61, 67, 68, 91, 133, 135, 137, 141, 145

  • NTSB National Transportation Safety Board →

    Accident reports, helicopter safety studies (NTSB/SS-13/01 HEMS), most-wanted improvements, factual cause-and-recommendation data

  • USHST US Helicopter Safety Team →

    Industry-led safety recommendations (USHST 56), accident data analysis, intervention strategies, helicopter safety enhancements

  • HAI Helicopter Association International →

    Operational best practices, safety standards (HAI Safety Awards), industry guidance, rotorcraft operator surveys

  • AOPA Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association →

    Pilot information, training resources, ASI (Air Safety Institute) accident analyses, regulatory updates

  • OEM Manufacturer documentation

    Pilot Operating Handbooks (POH), Rotorcraft Flight Manuals (RFM), maintenance manuals, service bulletins (Robinson, Bell, Airbus Helicopters, Sikorsky, Leonardo, Schweizer)

Editorial team

Edited by Mark Ellison

Mark Ellison
Rotorcraft Safety & Compliance Editor

Mark Ellison

Mark Ellison is a rotorcraft safety and compliance editor specializing in helicopter operations under FAA regulations. His work focuses on practical safety topics for helicopter pilots, instructors, operators, and aviation safety teams - including Part 91 and Part 135 requirements, inadvertent IMC, crew resource management, aviation oxygen rules, emergency locator transmitters, aircraft icing, load factor, weight and balance, safety management systems, and helicopter emergency procedures. His editorial approach is built around clarity, operational relevance, and risk reduction.

FAA helicopter operationsPart 91 & Part 135 complianceInadvertent IMC (IIMC)Crew Resource Management (CRM)Safety Management Systems (SMS)Rotorcraft emergency procedures
Read author profile →
Corrections

Corrections policy

Found a factual error? Email hello@faahelisafety.org with:

  1. The article URL and the specific sentence in question
  2. The primary source that contradicts our claim (CFR section, AC number, NTSB report ID, manufacturer manual reference)
  3. A clear statement of the correct fact, with citation

Editor review takes 1-2 business days. Verified corrections are applied to the live article within 48 hours, dated in the article header, and recorded in our public corrections log. We do not silently edit factual changes.

Boundaries

What FAAHeliSafety is not

Scope clarity prevents misuse. Use the right tool for the right decision.

  • Not flight training. Use a 14 CFR Part 61 or Part 141 flight school for instruction.
  • Not legal advice. Use an aviation attorney for FAA enforcement, certificate action, or insurance disputes.
  • Not authoritative regulatory text. Always verify against the active eCFR before flight or compliance decisions.
  • Not aircraft-specific guidance. Always consult your aircraft POH/RFM for limitations, procedures, and performance.
  • Not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the FAA, NTSB, USHST, HAI, or any aircraft manufacturer.