Helicopter operations are very different from fixed-wing. Helicopter pilots often operate in dangerous situations (search and rescue), emergencies (helicopter emergency medical services) and unfriendly environments (firefighting).

The ECA is the representative body of all European pilots, including some 1,500 helicopter pilots. As challenges faced by helicopter pilots are often safety-related, it is the ECA’s task to work towards improving the levels of safety, by providing expertise and operational knowledge.