Helicopter pilots serving the offshore oil and gas industry need to be provided with more robust simulation training to enable them to handle disaster scenarios effectively, the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has found.

The group's conclusion comes in the final report into the crash of a Dauphin 2 operating in the Irish Sea in December 2006.

In addition to improving access to disaster simulations, the AAIB also called for extensive training and development programmes covering landing guidance systems for oil and gas rigs.

"It is recommended that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EVSA) ensure that research into instrument landing systems that would assist helicopter crews to monitor their approaches to oil and gas platforms in poor visual flying conditions" the report also ruled.

The AAIB also called on the EVSA to look into the visibility of immersion suits worn by pilots.

The organisation is part of the Department for Transport and has an investigatory remit over all civil aircraft accidents in the UK.

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