The Helicopter Landing Officer, also known as HLO is a person on an offshore facility responsible for landing incoming helicopters safely.OPITO Helideck Operations Training
/ref> It is the most vital part of the operating team for offshore helidecks. (A helideck is a purpose built

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attribut ...

landing area, usually on a ship or offshore oil/gas installation.) Over the years the offshore oil exploration and production business has relied upon helicopters as the main method of transferring personnel to and from their workplace. Traditionally, and legally these days, the appointment of an HLO is the responsibility of the ship or installation operator. In the early days of offshore helicopter work, the basic requirements of safety were met by persons who would have a primary task ( Deck supervisor, Crane supervisor etc.) and would take responsibility for the helicopter crew change as a secondary task. The influence of the various

Civil Aviation Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work ...

Authorities around the world has had a huge effect on the efficiency and safety of working in this position. The safety of all personnel traveling to a ship or offshore location is in the hands of these specialists, whilst moving to and from the helicopter. The HLO commands a team, which again, is usually made up of members of the ship or installation crew, known as HDA's (Helideck Assistants). The assistants themselves are also trained in passenger and freight handling, helicopter safety and

fire and rescue A fire department (American English) or fire brigade (Commonwealth English), also known as a fire authority, fire district, fire and rescue, or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression se ...

References

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Sources

*UKOOA Guidelines for the Management of Offshore Helidecks *UK Civil Aviation Publication 437 *ICAO Annex 14 Volume 2, Heliports Helicopters