Thierry Dubois is a freelance writer specializing in helicopters, business aviation and aerospace technology. He earned a degree in fluid dynamics from an engineering school in Toulouse, France in the mid-1990s. At an unexpected crossroads, he found his first job in journalism. In 1997, he started working for French aerospace weekly Air &amp; Cosmos in Paris. This lasted until 2000, when he moved south to Lyons. He then became a freelancer, working for various aerospace publications and has been part of the AIN team since late 2000. In addition to writing about business aviation, Thierry shares responsibility for the rotorcraft section. He also is a regular on-site writer for AIN’s daily editions at international airshows such as the Paris, Farnborough, Dubai and Singapore shows, as well as at EBACE in Geneva.
In 2007, he won the Honeywell award for “Best systems or technology submission” at the Aerospace journalist of the year awards. In 2013, he won an Aerospace Media Award for the "Best Safety, Training &amp; Simulation Submission."
In other activities, Thierry moderates international conferences on aviation technology topics. Thierry is married and has three children, who seem to begin enjoying the mountains–as their parents do.

Writer

Thierry Dubois

In its recently released <a href="https://www.gov.uk/aaib-reports/aircraft-accident-report-aar-1-2016-g-wnsb-23-august-2013">final report</a>, the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) cited the crew’s ineffective monitoring of the flight instruments and poor crew resource management in the fatal ditching of a CHC Scotia-operated Airbus AS332 L2 Super Puma near Sumburgh Airport in August 2013. Four of the 16 passengers died in the crash.

 


According to the AAIB, the helicopter’s decreasing airspeed went unnoticed by the pilots until the helicopter was in a critically low-energy state. The captain’s attempt to recover was unsuccessful and the helicopter struck the surface of the sea approximately 1.7 nm west of the airport, the report said. The helicopter rapidly filled with water and rolled inverted, but was kept afloat by the deployed flotation bags.

 


Each pilot also had a different understanding of how the approach was to be flown, adding to the lack of crew coordination. Further, the first officer tended to defer to the captain’s decisions and neither adhered to standard phraseology.

 


The operator’s standard operating procedures at the time did not optimize the helicopter’s automated systems. Thus, the non-precision approach was flown with the autopilot in three-axes with V/S mode, requiring the captain—the pilot flying—to control the airspeed with the collective pitch lever. The AAIB suggests this should have been accomplished by engaging IAS mode on the cyclic pitch axis and adjusting the vertical speed with the collective pitch lever, which crews have since been instructed to do.

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

AAIB: Poor Monitoring, CRM Led To Fatal Helo Ditching

According to the AAIB, the helicopter’s decreasing airspeed went unnoticed by the pilots until the helicopter was in a critically low-energy state.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

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