On Friday, April 29, 2016, an accident occurred with an Airbus Helicopters EC225LP (also known as a H225) model helicopter operated by another helicopter company, which resulted in a crash near Turøy outside of Bergen, Norway. The aircraft was carrying eleven passengers and two crew members at the time of the accident. Thirteen fatalities were reported. The cause of the accident is not yet known and is under investigation by authorities in Norway.
Bristow Group Inc. (the “Company”) operates a total of twenty-seven H225 model aircraft worldwide as follows:

•         Five H225 model aircraft registered in Norway;
•         Thirteen H225 model aircraft registered in the United Kingdom; and
•         Nine H225 model aircraft registered in Australia.

The Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority issued a safety directive on April 29, 2016, requiring operators to suspend public transport flights and commercial air transport operations of all Airbus Helicopters EC225LP model aircraft registered in, or flying in or offshore of, Norway. The safety directive permits continued search and rescue flights of the affected aircraft in Norway for the purpose of saving life. As a result, the Company will continue to operate four H225 model aircraft in Norway solely for search and rescue missions, but the Company will not be operating a fifth H225 model aircraft in Norway until further notice.

The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority also issued a safety directive on April 29, 2016, requiring operators to suspend public transport flights and commercial air transport operations of all Airbus Helicopters EC225LP model aircraft registered in, or flying in or offshore of, the United Kingdom. As a result, the Company will not be operating a total of thirteen H225 model aircraft registered in the United Kingdom until further notice.

The Company has also suspended operations of six of its nine H225 model aircraft in Australia. The Company will continue to operate up to three H225 model aircraft in Australia solely for search and rescue missions.The Company’s other aircraft, including search and rescue, continue to operate globally.

The Company expects to increase utilization of other in-region aircraft and implement contingency plans designed to identify other available aircraft that can be safely and quickly mobilized to minimize or eliminate the impact on our clients’ critical operations. It is too early to determine whether the accident will have a material impact on the Company.