21-Oct-2013Source: Oil & Gas UK
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued Special Bulletin S7/2013 as part of its on-going investigation into the tragic L2 helicopter accident on 23 August 2013 off Sumburgh Head, Shetland. The bulletin states that “to date, the wreckage examination and analysis of the recorded data have not found any evidence of a technical fault... Read more
21-Oct-2013Source: Step Change in Safety
The AAIB has issued a second special bulletin as part of its on-going investigation into the tragic helicopter accident on 23rd August off Sumburgh Head. Step Change in Safety’s Helicopter Steering Group (HSSG) welcomes this second bulletin and acknowledges the additional information that it contains. The first bulletin from the AAIB issued on 5th September... Read more
21-Oct-2013Source: HeliHub.com
The crash of a CHC Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma 1.5 nm west of Sumburgh Airport on 23 August 2013 as drawn a lot of comment and speculation. The British aircraft investigators – the Air Accicent Investigation Branch (AAIB) have issued a second bulletin on the accident – S7/2013 – AS332 L2 Super Puma, G-WNSB – now come... Read more
18-Oct-2013Source: HAI
During the week of September 23, Ed DiCampli, executive vice president of HAI; and Dave Green, health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS) program manager for HAI, traveled to London to attend Helitech and meet with safety experts, HUMS design engineers, and regulatory personnel. Prominent in this group were Bob Sheffield, AgustaWestland senior advisor, safety and... Read more
4-Oct-2013Source: Bristow Helicopters
Holding Statement – Precautionary Landing in the Norwegian Sector Date: Friday 4 October 2013 Time: 2030 hrs Bristow Helicopters Ltd can confirm that one of its Sikorsky S-92 helicopters operating out of Stavanger, Norway, made a safe precautionary landing on an offshore installation after a cockpit warning light illuminated at approximately 1700 hrs today, Friday... Read more
3-Oct-2013Source: Business Insider
The company notes in full-year accounts filed with Companies House, the grounding of the Eurocopter EC225’s “resulted in reduced flying activity and revenue and also additional non-recurring costs”. See full story... Read more
27-Sep-2013Source: Bond/Bristow/CHC
Offshore helicopter operators Avincis Group, Bristow Group and CHC Helicopter announced today they have launched a review of safety practices that will deepen their commitment to share best practices and consistently operate at the highest possible level of safety. The three companies leading this effort will reach out to other helicopter operators to encourage them... Read more
25-Sep-2013Source: BALPA
Please see below a comment from the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) on today’s announcement that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be conducting a review into North Sea aviation safety. ‘We will consult with those members currently operating in the North Sea as to their views on the effectiveness of a CAA-led review, but... Read more
25-Sep-2013Source: Oil & Gas UK
Robert Paterson, Oil & Gas UK’s health, safety and employment issues director, said: “Oil & Gas UK welcomes the CAA’s review of offshore helicopter operations in the North Sea and we and our members stand ready to engage fully in the process. As the CAA highlights in its announcement, considerable efforts have already been made... Read more
25-Sep-2013Source: UK CAA
The CAA is undertaking a review of North Sea helicopter operations. It will be a joint review with the Norwegian CAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and advised by a panel of independent experts. It will study current operations, previous incidents and accidents and offshore helicopter flying in other countries to make recommendations... Read more
9-Sep-2013Source: Bristow
On Friday, August 23, 2013 Bristow SAR operations in Sumburgh was tasked by ARCC to conduct the rescue operations for the tragic helicopter accident that occurred offshore approximately two miles west of Sumburgh. Within minutes a Bristow SAR team was airborne, took operational command, coordinating with a Bond SAR helicopter, an RAF helicopter and RNLI.... Read more
5-Sep-2013Source: Express.BE
NHV has aspirations to expand into the Middle East and Far East, and into the windfarm market too. Founders Eric Van Hal and Jef De Kinder are quoted as saying they are looking for business partners to aid the expansion, but are not looking to sell. see full story... Read more
3-Sep-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Yesterday, Bristow Helicopters took delivery at Aberdeen of the 200th Sikorsky S92 after it had been ferried from Prestwick Airport following airfreight from the US. Test flown as N200BV and now registered in the UK as G-GALC, the aircraft will join the North Sea fleet in the coming days. It also carries large “200th S92”... Read more
2-Sep-2013Source: AAIB
At 1717 hrs UTC on 23 August 2013, an AS332 L2 Super Puma helicopter crashed into the sea whilst on approach to Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands. Four of the 18 occupants lost their lives. The AAIB immediately despatched a team of investigators and support staff to Aberdeen and the Shetland Islands. In accordance... Read more
1-Sep-2013Source: Oil & Gas UK
Oil & Gas UK’s chief executive, Malcolm Webb, said: “We commend the HSSG’s thorough review of this situation and the agreement which has been reached today. Oil & Gas UK is in complete alignment with this agreement, including the decision to return the aircraft in question to flight in a phased and proper manner and... Read more
1-Sep-2013Source: HSSG
On Saturday 24 August, Step Change in Safety’s Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) took the precautionary measure of taking a time out for safety by recommending temporary cessation of all commercial passenger flights of the AS332 L, L1, L2 and EC225 variant of helicopter to and from offshore oil and gas installations within the UK, following the... Read more
27-Aug-2013Source: Oil & Gas UK
Oil & Gas UK held a meeting in Aberdeen today (Monday 26 August) to discuss the operational impact of the temporary suspension of Super Puma helicopters following the crash of an L2 model on Friday with the tragic loss of four lives and injury to others. There were 80 representatives of oil and gas operators... Read more
27-Aug-2013Source: OPEIU
The Professional Helicopter Pilots Association International (PHPA), a council of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, is mourning the loss of four passengers who were killed on August 23, 2013, when a CHC L2 aircraft crashed into the waters off the coast of Sumburgh, United Kingdom. Fourteen people, including two crew members,... Read more
26-Aug-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Eurocopter have a major uphill PR battle ahead of them, for certain. Since the Shetland fatal accident on Friday – less than three days ago as this is written – a Facebook page “Destroy the Super Pumas” has gained over 28,000 followers. While it is clearly not something people in the aviation industry would support,... Read more
25-Aug-2013Source: Oil & Gas UK
Oil & Gas UK’s Chief Executive Malcolm Webb said: “Oil & Gas UK expresses its profound sorrow at the news of the deaths and injuries resulting from yesterday’s helicopter ditching off Shetland. Our thoughts are first and foremost with all who were on this flight, their families and their friends and we send our deepest condolences... Read more
25-Aug-2013Source: CHC
[Update from CHC 11pm UK on 25th August] A CHC Helicopter AS332L2 aircraft landed in the water Friday (Aug. 23) about two nautical miles west of Sumburgh, on Shetland Island in the U.K. The helicopter had traveled from Aberdeen to two North Sea oil-and-gas rigs before returning to Sumburgh. The aircraft was on approach to... Read more
21-Aug-2013Source: Step Change in Safety
Bond Offshore Helicopters, a Step Change in Safety member company, will open their doors to their Aberdeen operations on Saturday 24 August. The event will provide offshore workers and family members an opportunity to look at the people, aircraft and safety processes behind Bond’s helicopter services. If you fly with Bond Offshore Helicopters and would... Read more
8-Aug-2013Source: Bristow Helicopters
Bristow Helicopters unveiled the much anticipated AgustaWestland AW189 helicopter to its oil and gas clients last week (30 July 2013). The pre-production model was flown to Norwich International Airport where Bristow’s senior management team showcased the aircraft to a number of its clients who will be offered its services from early 2014. Bristow will be... Read more
8-Aug-2013Source: Bond Air Services
Bond provides helicopter support to deliver maintenance technicians by hoist to the wind farm’s 140 turbines – the first helicopter operation of its kind in the UK. The wind farm has a generation capacity of around 500MW, enough to power approximately 530,000 homes. The service uses a Eurocopter EC135T2i aircraft, operating seven days a week... Read more
29-Jul-2013Source: Eurocopter
Eurocopter has delivered a fourth EC225 helicopter to Denmark’s DanCopter A/S – which operates the rotorcraft for crew change missions to offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea. The handover was made at the Marignane, France production facility of Eurocopter, and will be followed by the helicopter’s ferry flight to DanCopter’s Esbjerg, Denmark... Read more
11-Jul-2013Source: SaxonAir
SaxonAir Flight Support Ltd has marked a key milestone in its first year of offshore ground handling with DanCopter AS. The contract involves SaxonAir handling all Shell offshore passengers and freight from Norwich Airport on behalf of DanCopter AS of Denmark. DanCopter were awarded the Shell contract in July 2012 to operate helicopters carrying passengers... Read more
4-Jul-2013Source: HeliHub.com
The 20th Sikorsky S92 is expected to arrive at Aberdeen today or tomorrow for Bristow Helicopters as G-CHYG, having been freighted in to Prestwick Airport on an Antonov An124 yesterday. This will bring the Bristow UK fleet of the type to sixteen – four of the UK deliveries having been transferred onwards to Bristow’s Nigerian... Read more
24-Jun-2013Source: Offshore Energy Today
CHC will operate an AW139 out of Humberside Airport from November 2013, to support Centrica’s offshore activities, including the York and Rough platforms, as the operator relocates all flight operations from Yarmouth. – see full story... Read more
21-Jun-2013Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the delivery of an additional AW139 helicopter to Bel Air of Denmark. The aircraft in offshore transport configuration will be used to ferry passenger to oil and gas installations in the North Sea. So far the AW139s operated by Bel Air have been delivering exceptional availability and... Read more
6-Jun-2013Source: Press & Journal
Eurocopter has an uphill PR battle ahead of them – nearly nine out of 10 offshore workers have lost confidence in the model of helicopter involved in two North Sea ditchings last year. (see full story) NOTE other reports are sceptical of this article, saying the word ‘fear’ did not appear in the survey... Read more
29-May-2013Source: The Herald Scotland
Four hero pilots who saved the lives of 29 oil workers after two helicopter ditchings off the coast of Scotland have been shortlisted for a prestigious flying award. (See Full Story)... Read more
14-May-2013Source: Offshore Energy Today
The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), with assistance from the Civil Aviation Authority, carried out an audit of Ekofisk 2/4-L facility on 4 – 5 April 2013. (See Full Story)... Read more
9-May-2013Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd (Bond), one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with Applied Drilling Technology International (ADTI). The new contract, worth approximately £14m, is to provide crew-change flights for the well management specialist. Services are due to begin early... Read more
26-Apr-2013Source: Bond
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd (Bond), one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with EnQuest PLC, the largest UK independent oil producer in the UK North Sea. The contract is for up to ten years and it will provide crew change... Read more
5-Apr-2013Source: Scottish Crown Office
On 1 April 2009 Super Puma helicopter AS332 L2 G-REDL crashed into the North Sea resulting in the deaths of all 16 men on board. Having carefully considered all the circumstances of this incident, Crown Counsel have decided that there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution and as result no criminal proceedings are instructed. The... Read more
4-Apr-2013Source: Step Change
Step Change in Safety has published its 2013 Annual Update report and has called on the UK oil and gas industry to continue its focus on improving safety performance. The report reviews the organisation’s achievements over the last year and identifies where it will focus its attention in future. Highlights include: The launch of the Workforce Engagement Toolkit –... Read more
28-Mar-2013Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd (Bond), one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with Premier Oil plc. The contract is to provide crew change flights for the independent exploration and production company. Services started on the 4th of March and the... Read more
26-Mar-2013Source: Step Change In Safety
It was announced today, Monday 25 March, that Bristow Helicopters has become a full member of Step Change In Safety. The role of Step Change in Safety has become even more important in recent months with its Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) playing a vital role in keeping the industry informed following two related controlled... Read more
22-Mar-2013Source: Crown Office
On 1 April 2009 Super Puma helicopter AS332 L2 G-REDL crashed into the North Sea resulting in the deaths of all 16 men on board. Having carefully considered all the circumstances of this incident, Crown Counsel have decided that there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution and as result no criminal proceedings are instructed. The... Read more
19-Mar-2013Source: Decoded Science
… reports about North Sea oil workers being put on slimming diets because their average weight over the last few years had increased so much (see full story)... Read more
13-Mar-2013Source: Bond Aviation Group
Two Bond Offshore Helicopters (Bond) Search and Rescue (SAR) crewmen have been awarded the Billy Deacon SAR Memorial Trophy 2012, in recognition of their key role in a dramatic North Sea rescue last December. The award honours SAR winchmen and operators who have shown great skill and courage in carrying out rescues over land or... Read more
5-Mar-2013Source: Eurocopter
Celebrating a signature a long time in the making, Eurocopter President and CEO Lutz Bertling and William Chiles, President and CEO of Bristow Group, announced the order for 12 EC175s for the global offshore transportation provider during an event on the Eurocopter booth at Heli-Expo 2013. “We are so excited about the EC175,” said Mr.... Read more
26-Feb-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Bond Offshore will be changing the livery of its helicopters to dark blue to match the rest of the Avincis Group’s global offshore fleet, but the aircraft will still be branded with the Bond name. This change is designed to allow Avincis to more efficiently direct resources to where they’re most needed, such as bringing... Read more
21-Feb-2013Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd, one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with BW Offshore. This new contract, worth in the region of £16 million, is to provide crew change support for the BW Offshore (UK) Limited Floating Production Storage and... Read more
21-Feb-2013
[electronic translation] On the occasion of the conference of the Federation of wind energy make AREVA Wind, HTM Helicopter, Global Tech I and Trianel before their recently subscribed declaration of cooperation for the service of North Sea offshore wind farms. The helicopter company Travel Munich (HTM) is transported in the future exclusively for the offshore... Read more
18-Feb-2013Source: Den Helder Airport
Flybe franchise carrier Loganair has commenced ticket sales for a new weekday service, operating from Den Helder to both Norwich and Manchester in the United Kingdom. The flights to Norwich, which serves as East England’s offshore support hub, will operate on weekdays from March 4 2013. Passengers will be able to leave Den Helder at... Read more
8-Feb-2013Source: Avincis
Avincis Group (Avincis), the world’s leading provider of aerial services for mission critical operations, has today received the first of its record order of 16 new Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. The order, placed in December 2011, is the largest single purchase of S-92s ever made. Known for their robust design, safety features and performance, the new... Read more
5-Feb-2013Source: Step Change in Safety
A delegation representing the Helicopter Safety Steering Group is to visit Eurocopter’s manufacturing and test facility at Marignane, France, following an invitation from the company. On Wednesday 6 February, the group will see first-hand the efforts Eurocopter are going to in order to determine the root cause of the failure which led to two helicopters... Read more
4-Feb-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Bond Offshore Helicopters have confirmed to HeliHub.com this morning that Malcolm Paine, Director of Flight Operations, and Graham Wildgoose, Ground Operations Manager, have both “left the company to seek opportunities externally” (our inverted commas, not theirs) Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com... Read more
20-Dec-2012Source: Aftenbladet
The huge contracts mean the company has ensured most of the employees work until 2023. This is the first time-ever CHC Helikopter Service has secured nine different assignments in the course of one calendar year. (see full story)... Read more
19-Dec-2012Source: Oil & Gas UK
Oil & Gas UK has appointed Oonagh Werngren as the new operations director. She will join the team on 21 January 2013 and build on the work of Paul Dymond who retires from the post after ten years of excellent service. Oonagh Werngren is highly experienced in project delivery in the oil and gas industry... Read more
17-Dec-2012Source: HeliHub.com
CHC have transferred a pair of Sikorsky S92 helicopters form their operation in Denmark to the UK. Serial 920046 OY-HKA has now been registered as G-WNSF while 920058 OY-HKB is now G-WNSG. We assume that this is, at least in part, to cover for the requirements generated by the suspension of operations of the Eurocopter... Read more
5-Dec-2012Source: Oil & Gas UK
Members of Oil & Gas UK’s Board today (Wednesday 5 December) met with senior representatives from Eurocopter in Aberdeen. Eurocopter had been invited to update the group on their investigation into the main bevel gear shaft failures, which led to two ditching incidents earlier in the year. Eurocopter has been carrying out extensive testing of... Read more
5-Dec-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Two new Sikorsky S92 helicopters were registered in the UK yesterday to Bristow Helicopters – G-CHKI (serial 920175) and G-CHMJ (920176). The pair arrived in the UK by airfreight to Prestwick Airport on Sunday in an Antonov An124 freighter, with G-CHMJ making the 180 mile flight to Aberdeen yesterday and G-CHKI expected to follow today. ... Read more
25-Nov-2012
Two Super Puma helicopters were at the centre of fresh safety fears. The Bond aircraft, which were travelling independently to different offshore installations, were both forced to return to the heliport in Aberdeen following concerns. (see full story)... Read more
19-Nov-2012Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd, one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with Perenco Oil and Gas. This new contract, worth in the region of £37 million, is for the provision of crew change flights to Perenco’s newly-acquired assets in the... Read more
19-Nov-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Bristow Helicopters have had a fleet move, with one Sikorsky S92 coming in and another going out. Arriving, after being airfreighted in to Prestwick Airport during last week, G-XCII has arrived in the UK for operations on the North Sea. The odd looking registration reflects the fact that 92 in Roman numerals is XCII. Going... Read more
8-Nov-2012Source: HeliHub.com
In an extract from the Q2 results notice, Bristow announced the following when commenting on the current EC225 situation:- “In order to minimize or eliminate the impact on our clients, we have increased utilization of other in-region aircraft and have implemented contingency plans designed to mobilize additional available aircraft, including entering into an agreement on... Read more
7-Nov-2012Source: Eurocopter
On October 22, 2012, during a flight to an offshore platform, a controlled ditching was performed with an EC225 helicopter. No one on board was injured and everyone was brought back to land safely. The helicopter remained afloat thanks to its emergency floatation gear and was recovered by a ship. An emergency lubrication warning light... Read more
22-Oct-2012Source: Bond Air Services
HeliHub.com editor note – The EC135 was first shown at Helitech 2009 fully kitted out. At Helitech 2011 we reported that the helicopter had not yet started offshore wind farm operations as expected two years prior, and a further year has now passed. We are pleased to see this finally working on the contract it... Read more
9-Oct-2012Source: Sikorsky
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today delivered the first two S-92® baseline helicopters to Bond Aviation Group, the first of 16 to be delivered under the largest one-time acquisition of S-92 aircraft ever received by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX). Bond Aviation Group, a subsidiary company of the World Helicopter Group, a global leader in... Read more
25-Jul-2012Source: HeliHub.com
HeliHub.com understands that Belgian operator NHV has acquired two Eurocopter EC155s from Bristow. One – with UK registration G-ISSU – has already been delivered to NHV’s heliport close to Ostend Airport, and will presumably move to the local OO- register and be repainted yellow in the near future. A photo of it on arrival in... Read more
13-Jul-2012Source: Eurocopter
Eurocopter will provide the leading Northern European helicopter operator Blueway Group with a total of four new EC225s in 2012. Two of these helicopters are already in service for crew change operations on the Danish continental shelf. The third aircraft was delivered today during a ceremony at Eurocopter’s facilities in Marignane while the final helicopter... Read more
12-Jul-2012Source: Bristow Group
Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS), a leading provider of helicopter services to the offshore energy industry, announced today that it has secured several major new multi-year contracts for the provision of a total of 20 large aircraft that are expected to generate in excess of $2 billion in revenue. In Europe, Bristow has been particularly successful with a number... Read more
2-Jul-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Sunday 1st July saw Dancopter commence operations out of Norwich Airport in the UK, flying for Shell. Two EC155s were noted at the airport this morning – OY-HJA & OY-HSL. Handling work at Norwich is being provided to the Danish operator by SaxonAir Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com... Read more
19-Jun-2012Source: HeliHub.com
In an unusual move, Eurocopter has announced that there is no blame on Bond Offshore Helicopters for the ditching of their EC225 on 10th May. In an unpublished statement released only to the Aberdeen Press & Journal – and then widely re-reported elsewhere, Eurocopter have stated “the incident was caused by a rupture of the... Read more
15-Jun-2012Source: Cancer Research UK
CHC Helicopter has pledged to donate £5,000 to Cancer Research UK to celebrate the charity’s patron Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The company made the donation on behalf of staff working at CHC’s operations in Aberdeen, North Denes and Humberside, as well as search and rescue crews in Sumburgh, Stornoway, Lee-on-Solent and Portland, on... Read more
7-Jun-2012Source: Oil & Gas UK
Oil & Gas UK is once again to host a one-day seminar with the aim of bringing together leading figures in the oil and gas and aviation industries to discuss offshore helicopter safety. The event, which is sponsored by Bond Offshore Helicopters and Maersk Oil, is the seventh annual Aviation Seminar organised by Oil & Gas UK... Read more
31-May-2012Source: STV
It is reported that the oil giant has pulled out of a deal with Bond to take over its UK flights as it did not have “sufficient assurances†of the safety of Bond’s operations. (see full story)... Read more
29-May-2012Source: HeliHub.com
CHC Scotia Ltd yesterday registered two more new AW139s on the British Register. Serial number 31414 as G-MGAR and 31418 as G-LOWC. This brings their UK registered fleet to eight, including the three contracted for Coastguard SAR work. Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com... Read more
28-May-2012Source: Bond Aviation Group
The second part of Bond’s press release deserves a separate story… It was also announced that Bill Munro has decided to step aside as Managing Director of Bond Offshore Helicopters. Malcolm Paine, hitherto Director of Operations at the company, will assume leadership of the business with immediate effect. Paine brings an extensive knowledge of Bond... Read more
28-May-2012Source: Bond Aviation Group
Bond issue a two-part announcement of people changes, here is part 1… The Bond Aviation Group announces the appointment of Richard Mintern to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Mintern comes with nearly 30 years’ experience leading different functions of international aviation businesses, most recently as Group COO of The Monarch Travel Group. Prior to... Read more
24-May-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Bristow yesterday returned a Eurocopter EC225 to the British register as G-ZZSH, having previously been flying it in Australia for two years as VH-ZFH. However, it is unusual for such ferry flights to be done by air, as was the case here. The EC225 finally landed at Aberdeen around 2pm on Tuesday, and while we... Read more
24-May-2012Source: HeliHub.com
CHC have in the last 24 hours registered a AS332L2 Super Puma in the UK – serial 2398 as G-CHCY. This aircraft had previously been operated for eight years by SonAir in Angola in full CHC colours and titles. Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com... Read more
17-May-2012Source: HeliHub.com
Bristow has registered their first AW139 in the UK. Now officially G-CHBY, the AW139 was ferried from Denmark to Norwich as OY-HLB on 3rd May. It is expected to operate on rig shuttle flights in the Southern North Sea very soon, and we are endeavouring to find out who it is contracted to. The UK... Read more
