Observers, experts and employees said the crash of Cougar Flight 491 highlighted the need for a separate safety agency to replace an offshore regulator that has the competing tasks of promoting the industry and protecting workers
Source: Canadian Press, 11-Mar-10
NATS Services is now using Sensis Corporation’s Wide Area Multilateration (WAM) system in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland for helicopter flight following. Air traffic controllers are using the WAM surveillance information as a supplement to established procedural flight rules until the WAM system completes testing and regulatory approval for flight information services later this… Read more »
Source: Sensis, 10-Mar-10
British oil & gas helicopter support operator Bond Offshore Helicopters signed a new Support-by-the-Hour® contract with Turbomeca UK for their four new AS365N3 Dauphins, powered by the Arriel engine. The helicopters’ Arriel 2C turbines will be maintained by Turbomeca UK which supports nearly 700 engines powering British and Irish-owned customers’ helicopters. Two of the new… Read more »
Source: Turbomeca, 09-Mar-10
A scholarship and bursary program has been established in the memory of the 17 victims of the crash of Cougar Flight 491 off Newfoundland last year.
Source: News 880AM, 02-Mar-10
Tullow Oil Plc, operators of the jubilee oil field in Ghana, has dropped the Ghanaian-owned Citylink airline company in favour of Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV) of Belgium
Source: Peace FM Online, 01-Mar-10
Accident investigators have now made several recommendations for Bristow Helicopters, which is based at Aberdeen Airport. The incident on November 21, 2006, happened near the Dutch port of Den Helder
Source: Evening Express, 27-Feb-10
The S-92® helicopter has entered into the offshore oil market in Brazil, following the well established work of another Sikorsky Aircraft product already serving that industry in the region. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX). Petrobras, one of the largest oil companies in the world, has been using Sikorsky helicopters through their… Read more »
Source: Sikorsky, 23-Feb-10
Three year contract in Yemen with a Bell 412
Source: GulfBase, 22-Feb-10
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that Bristow Group Inc. has placed an order for four AW139 medium-twin helicopters to be used to perform offshore transport missions. The purchase adds to the previous one for three aircraft already delivered and further strengthens Bristow’s AW139 fleet and the relationship with AgustaWestland, reinforcing the continued… Read more »
Source: AgustaWestland, 22-Feb-10
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and LÃder Taxi Aéreo S.A. Air Brasil today announced the signing of a contract for three S-76C++TM aircraft in a ceremony held at Heli-Expo. This contract continues the more than 30-year relationship between the companies. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX). The aircraft will operate in Brazil in support… Read more »
Source: Sikorsky, 22-Feb-10
The regulators of Newfoundland’s oil industry have ordered a faster emergency response after the head of an inquiry into offshore helicopter safety made an urgent call for improvement.
Source: Chronicle Herald, 14-Feb-10
Oil & Gas UK today announced that personal locator beacons on helicopter flights are to be reintroduced to the North Sea from next Monday.
Source: Upstream Online, 05-Feb-10
“The events of March 12th changed my life forever, there´s no doubt about that,” said Burt, who is also a vice-president of Cougar´s parent company, VIH Aviation
Source: Oilweek, 02-Feb-10
Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS), a leading provider of helicopter services to the offshore energy industry, today announced that the Company will be presenting at the 2010 Credit Suisse Energy Summit to be held in Vail, Colorado on February 1 – 5, 2010. William E. Chiles, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bristow Group, is… Read more »
Source: Bristow Group, 29-Jan-10
Blue Sky Network, a leading global provider of GPS tracking and communication solutions for land, sea, and aviation assets, announced today that the largest oil and gas producer in Peru, Pluspetrol, is utilizing Blue Sky Network’s GPS-based aviation tracking devices to follow and stay in contact with its contracted helicopter fleets. The portability and easy… Read more »
Source: Blue Sky Network, 22-Jan-10
Industry body Oil and Gas UK has met the UK Civil Aviation Authority to pave the way for the return of PLBs. Its helicopter task group has overseen a redesign of the beacons and that PLBs would be issued to all workers on all flights for the first time.
Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal, 18-Jan-10
More than £300,000 raised in memory of the 16 men killed in a Super Puma helicopter crash in the North Sea last year is to be distributed to 11 charities chosen by the bereaved families. Funds have also been set aside for a “symbol of remembrance” in a public garden in Aberdeen
Source: Scotsman, 15-Jan-10
Oil company executives at an offshore helicopter inquiry said safety is their top priority — even as a lawyer representing workers pushed to question them on why it took nine years to introduce underwater breathing devices onboard.
Source: Toronto Sun, 12-Jan-10
WASHINGTON — Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt announced today that Houston air traffic controllers are beginning to use an improved satellite-based system – Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) — to more efficiently and safely separate and manage aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico. “Safety is our highest priority at the U.S. Department of… Read more »
Source: FAA, 12-Jan-10
AgustaWestland , a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the VIH Cougar Helicopters Inc. of USA has taken delivery of an AW139 medium twin helicopter during an official ceremony recently held at Vergiate plant (Italy). This 12 seat-configured helicopter will be operated for offshore transport missions in the Gulf of Mexico. Emilio Dalmasso, Senior… Read more »
Source: AgustaWestland, 12-Jan-10
IBA has completed the sale of two Agusta AW139 Helicopters on behalf of Copterline OY, a rotary wing operator based in Helsinki. The helicopters were purchased by PHI Inc. in the USA, for immediate deployment within its expanding rotary operations. IBA was awarded the remarketing contract by Copterline OY in April 2009 against stiff competition…. Read more »
Source: IBA, 11-Jan-10
(HeliHub.com editor note – this contract was previously run by CHC using a Eurocoptper AS365N Dauphin) Bond Aviation Group, one of Europe’s leading twin engined helicopter service providers, has returned to Ireland after winning a three year contract with Irish energy firm, PSE Kinsale Energy Limited – a wholly owned subsidiary of Petronas. The contract,… Read more »
Source: Bond Aviation Group, 10-Jan-10
Refers to accident 04-Jan-2009 – HeliHub record of the accident is here.
Source: Daily Comet, 08-Jan-10
To start the new year, Bond Offshore Helicopters took over the rig support contract out of Blackpool Airport for gas firm Centrica. Bond have now moved in with two brand new bright red AS365N3 Dauphins, registered G-REDE and G-REDF, operating initially from temporary accommodation at this UK airport. They had won the contract from CHC… Read more »
Source: HeliHub.com editorial team, 06-Jan-10
The families of passengers who died in the crash of a Sikorsky helicopter off the coast of Newfoundland last year, as well as the sole survivor of the tragedy, have reached a settlement in their lawsuit against the U.S. company.
Source: Winnipeg Free Press, 06-Jan-10
Aberdeen-based Bond Offshore Helicopters has won a five-year deal with global energy company Perenco, which will see Bond provide helicopter services to Southern North Sea rigs from Norwich International airport.
Source: EDP24, 29-Dec-09
The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure has approved the proposal for purchase of seven number of Dauphin AS-365 N3 helicopters by Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited
Source: PIB, 23-Dec-09
To win the tender “Gazpromavia”, Eurocopter specially developed a new modification of helicopters to the volume of the fuel tank 800 liters.
Source: UA Tenders, 01-Dec-09
An official report to determine why a helicopter with 18 people on board ditched into the North Sea has been delayed, the Government announced on Tuesday.
Source: STV, 26-Nov-09
Emergency breathing devices for suits worn by passengers during offshore helicopter flights weren’t installed until nine years after they were first recommended and only after a helicopter crashed off the coast of Newfoundland in March, killing 17 people, an inquiry heard Monday.
Source: CBC, 17-Nov-09
Gulf Helicopters Company (GHC), an associate of Gulf International Services, has entered into a service pact with Reliance Exploration and Production DMCC, a subsidiary of India’s private sector petroleum giant Reliance Industries.
Source: Gulf Times, 16-Nov-09
An oil and gas industry leader says now is the safest time there has ever been to fly in a North Sea helicopter. Bob Keiller feels there is still no room for complacency, however. Mr Keiller is chairman of Oil & Gas UK’s helicopter task group, set up earlier this year to look at helicopter… Read more »
Source: Press & Journal, 04-Nov-09
VIH Aviation Group and HNZ Group of helicopter companies are pleased to announce their joint venture to specialize in the provision of offshore helicopter services in Australia and its coastal regions.
Source: VIH, 01-Nov-09
Denmark’s Bel Air, which has entered a “Call off” contract with Maersk Oil, says it has fully complied with the new European performance requirements for offshore helicopters that come into force in 2010.
Source: EBAN, 11-Oct-09
Neptune Marine Oil & Gas has completed a US$340 million upgrade of its deepwater drillship, the Neptune Explorer. The Pelican Class drillship, acquired in April 2005, has undergone major upgrading and reactivation works at the Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore
Source: Scandinavian Oil & Gas, 06-Oct-09
A helicopter pilot has filed suit against the owners of a platform and the company that maintains the platform, alleging he tripped while attempting to get out of a helicopter.
Source: South East Texas Record, 26-Sep-09
Eighty new jobs have been created at a Gloucestershire-based helicopter specialists after it secured five new long-term contracts worth £153m
Source: BBC, 25-Sep-09
Sikorsky announced the introduction of a new functionality offered on the S-92® helicopter to provide offshore oil operators with an automated approach that reduces cockpit workload and allows safer operations under challenging weather and operating conditions.
Source: Sikorsky, 24-Sep-09
The company exhibits the EC135 “L’Hélicoptère par Hermès†as centre piece, as well as a large array of eight state-of-the-art helicopters: a London “Met†EC145, an EC135 by Suffolk Police, the UK’s first helicopter – an EC135 – dedicated to offshore wind farm maintenance, a utility AS355 NP used by National Grid for powerline inspections,… Read more »
Source: Eurocopter, 24-Sep-09
AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that the Bristow Group Inc. has signed an agreement for three AW139 medium twin engine helicopters to be used to perform offshore transport missions. The purchase further strengthens the relationship between AgustaWestland and Bristow Group and also includes options for additional AW139 purchases by the Bristow Group which would reinforce… Read more »
Source: AgustaWestland, 22-Sep-09
After a 36 year presence at Sumburgh Airport in Shetland, Bristow gave up the lease on the hangar and handed the keys back to the airport owners.
Source: PPRuNe, 22-Sep-09
EUROCONTROL Agency has been informed of an incident that happened on 15 September 2009 over the Southern North Sea:
Source: Eurocontrol, 18-Sep-09
The TUC, meeting in Liverpool threw its weight behind a call from the pilots’ union BALPA (British Airline Pilots’ Association) for a North Sea oil and gas Safety Summit.
Source: BALPA, 18-Sep-09
Gulf Helicopters has entered into a service agreement with Saffer Company for exploration and production in order to use one Helicopter type (Bell 212) to support petroleum operations for 3 years
Source: Peninsula, 16-Sep-09
The new system enables air traffic controllers to see helicopters on their radar screens at Aberdeen Airport at a far greater range from the shore than has previously been possible using solely shore-based radars.
Source: Oil & Gas UK, 09-Sep-09
A South Carolina feasibility study committee will give a go-ahead this week for offshore natural gas and oil exploration while federal regulators in September are expected to put some protections of thousands of square miles of the potential drilling area where valuable deep sea coral is found.
Source: RotorNews, 28-Aug-09
17-Aug-09 N204PH Bell B206L3 Main Pass 310A right, US-Gulf of Mexico
17-Aug-09
Bond Offshore Helicopters has confirmed that it has retired the flight number given to the aircraft involved in one of the oil industry’s worst disasters earlier this year.
Source: Aberdeen Press & Journal, 14-Aug-09
The near-miss happened on March 20 when an air traffic controller gave a pilot the okay to climb – not realising a second helicopter was above him.
Source: Evening Express, 14-Aug-09
The company has leased helicopters to air operators or to oil and gas firms in Ethiopia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and recently signed new alliances with India’s Heligo, for the use of one Agusta Westland 139, and an offshore support firm for Petrobras
Source: The National, 30-Jul-09
Source: Street Insider, 29-Jul-09
Eurocopter is pleased to announce the delivery of the first EC225 to Southern Service Flight Company (SSFC) based in Vung Tau City, Vietnam. Founded in 1985, SSFC belongs to the Service Flight Corporation of Vietnam (SFC VN), a long-standing partner of Eurocopter.
Source: Eurocopter, 23-Jul-09
This AW139 is the first of several that will be delivered to Bel Air. Additionally, Bel Air has also been appointed as official AgustaWestland Service Centre for the AW139 in Denmark.
Source: AgustaWestland, 09-Jul-09
Source: CAA, 24-Jun-09
Eurocopter CEO, Lutz Bertling is proud to hand over the 100th EC155 B1 to Dancopter CEO Nils Skeby at the Paris Air Show today. The Scandinavian operator is a long-standing Eurocopter customer operating already 5 EC155s in the North Sea oil and gas market, and one of the launch customers of the EC175 with 2… Read more »
Source: Rotorhub, 17-Jun-09
AgustaWestland announces that Bel Air of Denmark has taken delivery of the first of several AW139 medium twin turbine helicopters. This 12 seats configured aircraft will be used to perform offshore transport operations.
Source: AgustaWestland, 17-Jun-09
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090514.wxcopter14art2237/BNStory/National/home, 14-May-09
Bond Offshore Helicopters will resume crew change flights for BP from Monday in the wake of the North Sea helicopter disaster, it has been announced
Source: BBC, 13-May-09
Source: CBC, 11-May-09
Source: Vertical, 08-May-09
The focus of the event, attended by over 60 delegates, was on oil and gas industry helicopter operations in South and Central America, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, where a number of AgustaWestland helicopters including the AW119Ke and the AW139 models are largely used for offshore purposes.
Source: AgustaWestland, 05-May-09
