Aviation life jackets for helicopter operations: a buyer's checklist

For over-water helicopter work, the configuration details of a constant-wear life jacket matter more than for almost any other purchase. Get the following answered in writing before ordering. The checklist supports — never replaces — the operator's own compliance assessment.

The checklist

• Wear profile — constant-wear jackets for crew differ from passenger jackets in cut, comfort and how they carry through a full shift. Confirm which the product actually is.
• Approvals for the exact model — ask which approvals apply to the specific model and configuration you are ordering, documented for that variant. Never carry an approval over from a similar-looking model.
• Compatibility with what is worn — the jacket must work over the flight suit and alongside a harness where roles require one. Emergency breathing system compatibility, where used, is a configuration question to settle at ordering time, not after delivery.
• Fit range and adjustment — crews vary; check the size and adjustment range against the real roster, not the average.
• Activation and maintenance — understand the inflation mechanism, its inspection cycle and what routine service the manufacturer prescribes.
• Accessories and stowage — lights, hoods, and where role equipment attaches; every addition changes bulk and comfort.
• Service arrangements — who inspects and services the jackets on what schedule, and how each unit's history is recorded per crew member.

Keeping the fleet accountable

Life jackets are serialised, serviced equipment. The operational half of the purchase is the record-keeping: which unit is issued to whom, when it was last serviced and when it is due again. Operators running this on the same platform as the rest of the crew equipment get reminders and history without a parallel spreadsheet — which is exactly how NVQ's equipment programme treats serviced items.