Tropical Helicopter Underwater Escape Training with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (T-HUET with CA-EBS)

The OPITO Tropical Helicopter Underwater Escape Training with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (T-HUET with CA-EBS) is the certification programme for personnel travelling to tropical offshore installations by helicopter who will be supplied with a CA-EBS and who require a combined helicopter escape and tropical sea survival qualification.

The CA-EBS is a compressed air emergency breathing system that requires specific familiarisation and practical training to operate safely. This programme extends the standard T-HUET with dedicated CA-EBS theory and a progressive shallow water exercise sequence, ensuring learners understand the equipment and can deploy and operate CA-EBS correctly during a helicopter ditching emergency. The programme also retains the full tropical sea survival component from T-HUET, covering evacuation, TEMPSC boarding, in-water survival, and rescue techniques.

Please note that additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS in-water practical exercises. Delivered in accordance with OPITO Product Code 5194 (T-HUET with CA-EBS), certification is valid for four years.

HUET with CA-EBS training is intended for personnel travelling to offshore installations by helicopter in tropical regions where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued and where the operating company requires helicopter escape training without the full offshore safety induction programme.

This course may be required for personnel transferring between offshore installations, those who already hold a recognised offshore safety induction certificate, or personnel working in roles where the operator specifies HUET-level helicopter escape training rather than the full BOSIET programme.

Where personnel are travelling offshore for the first time, operators may instead require the full BOSIET programme.

The T-HUET with CA-EBS programme prepares learners for offshore helicopter travel in tropical environments where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued, equipping them with the knowledge and practical skills required to respond effectively in the event of a helicopter emergency and to survive in tropical sea conditions.

The programme combines the full tropical helicopter escape programme with CA-EBS theory and shallow water practical training, together with the complete tropical sea survival unit. Additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS in-water exercises.

The objectives of this training are that learners will be able to:

1. Demonstrate, in a simulated environment, that they can use safety equipment and follow procedures in preparing for and during helicopter emergencies, with particular focus on escaping from a helicopter following ditching using Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) equipment in a tropical environment.
2. Demonstrate sea survival techniques appropriate to tropical offshore operations, including in-water survival, rescue procedures, evacuation methods, and survival craft mustering.

Helicopter Safety and Escape with Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) — Tropical

This unit prepares learners for offshore helicopter travel in tropical environments where a Compressed Air Emergency Breathing System (CA-EBS) is issued. It combines the standard tropical helicopter travel and escape programme with dedicated CA-EBS theory and shallow water familiarisation exercises. Practical escape exercises are conducted in our purpose-built pool using a Survival Systems METS™ (Modular Egress Training Simulator) Model 40, supervised by OPITO-qualified HUET safety divers.

Theoretical learning covers all standard helicopter travel and emergency procedures (pre-flight briefings, pre-boarding requirements, in-flight emergency actions, aircraft flotation, escape routes, brace positions, and liferaft operations), together with a comprehensive introduction to CA-EBS equipment: its principles and differences from rebreather EBS systems, all components (hose, mouthpiece, cylinder, demand valve, pressure indicator, purge button, nose clip, and charging port), operation in conjunction with survival equipment, and the hazards associated with CA-EBS use including lung over-expansion risk, gasp reflex, coughing, mouthpiece loss, and running out of air.

The standard HUET escape exercise sequence is:

• Donning an aviation lifejacket
• Actions in preparing for a helicopter ditching or emergency landing
• Evacuating from a helicopter trainer following a controlled emergency descent to a dry landing
• Dry evacuation into an aviation liferaft from a helicopter ditched on water, including push-out window operation, with initial liferaft actions (mooring lines, sea anchor, canopy)
• Escaping from a partially submerged helicopter through an underwater window exit, without push-out window
• Escaping from a partially submerged helicopter through an underwater window exit, with push-out window operation
• Escaping from a capsized helicopter without push-out window
• Escaping from a capsized helicopter with push-out window operation
• Inflating an aviation lifejacket, deploying a spray visor, and boarding an aviation liferaft from the water

Following the standard HUET sequence, learners complete the CA-EBS shallow water exercise programme:

• Donning the aviation lifejacket with CA-EBS and performing pre-donning and integrity checks
• Deploying CA-EBS with both hands and breathing from it at atmospheric pressure in dry conditions
• Locating CA-EBS and preparing for in-water ditching, deploying and breathing from CA-EBS in dry conditions at the helicopter simulator poolside
• Deploying CA-EBS above water surface and breathing from it face down in shallow water (max 0.7m depth)
• Deploying CA-EBS below water surface face down in shallow water and clearing the mouthpiece by exhaling
• Deploying CA-EBS below water surface face down and clearing with purge button under water
• Deploying CA-EBS above water surface and breathing from it in a vertical position underwater
• Deploying CA-EBS underwater, breathing from it in a vertical position, and moving along a horizontal rail for a minimum of 30 seconds including a change in direction

Note: Additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS in-water exercises. Please contact us prior to booking for full details.

Sea Survival — Tropical

This unit covers emergency evacuation procedures and sea survival techniques relevant to offshore operations in tropical environments. Learners gain an understanding of the types of offshore emergencies that may require evacuation (including floating installations such as FPSOs and drilling rigs), station bills and mustering procedures, escape routes and abandonment locations, and the various means of escape and rescue available.

Theoretical coverage includes TEMPSC types and capabilities (freefall, single fall, and twin fall), mustering, boarding, and strapping-in procedures, tertiary escape methods, the SAR organisation and rescue methods offshore (standby vessel, FRC, MRRD, net, basket, and ladder), helicopter rescue procedures (single and double strop, basket), and the importance of appropriate personal clothing for tropical sea conditions.

Practical exercises include:

• Mustering, donning a lifejacket, and boarding and strapping in as a TEMPSC passenger
• Boarding a marine liferaft from the water, carrying out initial actions (mooring lines, sea anchor, raft maintenance) and secondary actions (lookouts, radio beacons, first aid)
• Water entry and correct precautions when entering from a height
• Fitting and using a helicopter rescue device (single or double strop or basket)
• Individual in-water survival techniques: swimming, HELP position, and wave slap protection
• Group in-water survival techniques: towing, chain, huddle, and circle formations, followed by rescue by a recognised offshore method

• Participants must hold a valid offshore medical certificate or equivalent medical fitness certification, in accordance with OPITO medical entry requirements.
• Additional medical fitness requirements apply for the CA-EBS in-water practical exercises. Participants must meet the relevant fitness requirements for shallow water compressed air breathing system training in addition to standard offshore medical requirements. Please contact us for details.