Major improvements in safety standards at the Baldonnel headquarters of the Air Corps have been implemented following warnings from international aviation consultants, it has emerged.
The safety investigation was ordered in February 2001 following the loss of an Air Corps Dauphin helicopter in Tramore, Co Waterford, in July 1999, when a search and rescue mission ended in tragedy. The accident claimed the lives of the members of the Dauphin's crew: Capt Dave O'Flaherty, Capt Mick Baker, Sgt Paddy Mooney and Cpl Niall Byrne.
In their report, US-based Intercontinental Aviation Safety Consultants paid tribute to the Air Corps for its handling of "diverse, complex and oftentimes high-risk missions".
"The audit team finds it most remarkable that the Corps has been able to achieve its high level of performance in spite of the number and significant obstacles that have the potential of negative impact upon safety," the report declared.
Describing the main runway at Baldonnel as being in a "poor state of repair" and as a "significant hazard", the consultants reported finding loose pavements and cracks. Plans put in place by the Department of Defence to repair the runway in 2003 were "from a safety perspective ill-advised and not acceptable", the consultants warned in May 2001.
Even though the Department of Defence had been aware of complaints about the condition of the runway over a period of eight years, reconstruction did not begin until after the consultants had submitted their findings.
In particular, Intercontinental highlighted the difficulties caused by the "attrition" of skilled officers and non-commissioned officers and the "inadequate means" available to the Air Corps to replace them.
The consultants stated: "Workloads are increasing in both quantity and complexity while personnel numbers and skills become more difficult to maintain at acceptable levels. Immediate and long-range planning, fund allocation, etc should be prioritised to correct this situation.
"A shortage of highly-skilled personnel in both the operational and maintenance/engineering disciplines is certain to have a negative impact upon the desired continued high level of system safety."
Staff shortages in the helicopter wing of the Air Corps were particularly acute. Under military regulations, the Corps should have had 52 staff, including 20 captains. However, it had just 10 captains and a staff of 37.
During the period of the inquiry, only five of the Air Corps' 14 helicopters were available for service. The return of two of the helicopters which were out of action had been delayed by the lack of aircraft mechanics.
To remedy the staff shortages, the consultants had recommended that civilian experts should be hired, saying that highly-trained Air Corps staff should not be "wasted" on basic military duties such as guard duty.
Meanwhile, the consultants told the Department of Defence that the Air Corps was supplied with too many different aircraft marques, ranging from elderly Beechcraft to the CASA fishery protection aircraft.
The report, recently released under the Freedom of Information Act, went on to state: "Non-standardisation of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft is therefore identified as a significant problem. Air Corps operating personnel must be directly involved in the evaluation, including flight evaluation, and procurement of replacement helicopters and aircraft suitable for the assigned missions. Rationalisation of equipment should be addressed as a high-priority issue and resolved at the earliest feasible and logistically possible date."
Elsewhere, the failure of the Air Corps and the Garda Síochána to agree on arrangements to operate a second Garda helicopter was highlighted: "It appears that a long-standing problem, possibly involving a lack of full appreciation or understanding of each other's ultimate responsibilities, has existed between the Air Corps and the Garda." However, the consultants emphasised that nothing in their report was intended to suggest blame or responsibility for the "inability to resolve the real or perceived differences between these two highly-respected, professional and dedicated organisations".