HLO | Helicopter Landing Officer

Helicopters landing on offshore facilities have to have on-site assistance to ensure a safe landing. That person is called a Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO). Here you can learn all about the training and responsibilities of an HLO.

What is a Helicopter Landing Officer?

A Helicopter Landing Officer is a person on an offshore facility responsible for landing incoming helicopters safely. The person is often referred to as the HLO, which is an abbreviation for Helicopter Landing Officer. The HLO is the eyes on the ground for the helicopter pilot and plays a vital role in landings and safe operations of the helideck.  There might be several duties and supporting personnel that may also be part of the landing sequence. However, the on-site person in charge of the entire landing operation is the HLO.

How to become a Helicopter Landing Officer

The Helicopter Landing Officer must have completed a training course, approved by the national aviation authority. The training ensures that the HLO is educated in various landing scenarios and can manage and maintain a helideck during normal operations and in the event of an emergency.

Helicopter Landing Officer Training

To become an HLO, you need the right training and certificate. The training course you need will be dependant on where you are working in the world.  RelyOn Nutec can provide HLO training to the following accredited standards across our global network of training providers – OPITO, NOGEPA & Norwegian Oil and Gas Association.

OPITO Helicopter Landing Officer Course

The HLO on majority offshore facilities is required to have OPITO approved Helideck Initial Operations Training (HOIT) certificate and a Helideck Emergency Response Team Leader (HERTL) certificate. The HOIT certification does not expire so once the student holds the certificate it does not need to be re-issued, however the HERTL certificate needs to be refreshed every two years.

Before taking the HOIT course, students must complete a Dangerous Goods Awareness training course and hold a valid offshore medical certificate or possess an operator approved medical certificate. To attend the HERTL course students must hold a valid HOIT certificate, Helideck Emergency Response Team Member (HERTM) certificate and a valid offshore medical certificate or possess an operator approved medical certificate.

Where to take the HLO Course?

The OPITO HOIT and HERTL training takes place at a number of our OPITO approved training centres globally, please contact your local RelyOn Nutec provider to see if they offer these training courses.

If you require the NOGEPA HLO and Helicopter Fire-Fighting courses these are delivered at our RelyOn Nutec training centres in the Netherlands, and if you require the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association HLO course this is delivered at a number of our RelyOn Nutec training centres in Norway.

How much does HLO training cost?

Prices will vary between different suppliers and regions of the world. For more information, take a look at our course overview at the top of the page. 

Helicopter Landing Officer Certificate

It takes seven days to be fully certified as an OPITO qualified HLO (three days for the HOIT training and a further four days for the HERTL training). Once you earn the OPITO HOIT certificate, it will not expire and the HERTL certificate is required to be refreshed every two years.

To be Norwegian Oil and Gas Association HLO certified it takes four days and this is required to be refreshed every two years.

To be NOGEPA HLO certified it takes three and a half days (HLO training is two days and the Helicopter Fire-fighting is one and a half days).  Both HLO and Helicopter Fire-fighting require to be refreshed every two years.

Helicopter Landing Officer Requirements

Before entering OPITO HOIT, training students must complete a Dangerous Goods Awareness training course which is approved by IATA. HCA, CAA or a state aviation authority.

Before entering Norwegian Oil and Gas Association HLO course, training students must complete Basic safety and emergency preparedness training.

Before entering NOGEPA HLO course, training students must complete Helicopter Fire-fighting course and possess a valid offshore medical.

Helicopter Landing Officer Responsibilities

The Helicopter Landing Officer must know and act accordingly to the emergency procedures manuals of the company operating the offshore installation or vessel. In some cases, the contractor will also provide special instructions for helicopter operations.

The essential responsibilities of the Helicopter Landing Officer can be summarized like this: Control the safety of all people in the vicinity of the helicopter landing platform.

This also includes making sure passengers get on and off the offshore installation or vessel correctly. The HLO controls the loading and unloading of cargo and controls refueling of the helicopter alongside the captain of the aircraft.

Other Duties for the HLO

The HLO must control the aviation fuel quality and the refuelling installation, if refuelling activities are required on their offshore installation or vessel. Daily checks of equipment and facilities also fall under the HLO. Besides the hands-on part in landing and take off the HLO also has more administrative tasks like provision of manifests for passengers and cargo, and the required documentation for the safe transport of special loads.

Helicopter Landing Officer Hand Signals

The cooperation between helicopter pilot and HLO often consists of a series of hand signs. Each sign has a distinct meaning and is an effective way of communicating in spite of the very noisy surroundings.

Helicopter Landing Officer Vest

As a special requirement, the HLO must wear a vest with the letters HLO printed on the back and front. The printed letters ensure that the pilot and other personnel operating the helideck can easily locate the HLO.

Helmet for a Helicopter Landing Officer

The HLO sometimes operates nearby the helicopters. Thus, the helmet must be worn fixed to the head. Otherwise, it produces a safety risk and can end up harming the rotor blades or the helicopter engine.

Helicopter Landing Officer Handbook and Manual

The helicopter landing officer handbook is a document which provides all the necessary information for an HLO. The handbook can be accessed as a pdf. Here is a link to the HLO manual pdf.