Bond Offshore Helicopters has launched a programme to transform the look of all its North Sea aircraft.
The operator’s familiar red livery will soon disappear from the skies as it aligns with its parent group’s standard blue-and-white branding.
Bond, part of Avincis Group, said most of its North Sea helicopters would have the new colours by the end of the year.
Managing director Luke Farajallah added that the new paintwork meant Bond’s helicopters could cover for the firm’s sister company in Norway, Norsk Helikopterservice (NHS), and vice versa.
Bond has already received an NHS-registered Sikorsky S-92, which is now at work in the North Sea.
Mr Farajallah said images of Bond’s red helicopters in the North Sea following three ditchings involving the operator in recent years played no part in the decision to change colours.
He added: “The Bond livery and brand has stood up to the test of time due to more positive aspects than negative ones over the years.
“We benefit from the group’s global resources, so this is purely to standardise our fleet across the board.”
Mr Farajallah said the Bond name would not disappear, adding that the company was proud of its history in the North Sea.
Eurocopter’s Super Puma EC225 aircraft is still grounded for flights over water following two North Sea ditchings last year.
Mr Farajallah and representatives of other helicopter operators in addition to manufacturer Eurocopter were meeting in Aberdeen today to discuss a potential timetable for the aircraft returning to the skies.
Regulators the European Aviation Safety Agency and Civil Aviation Authority had not indicated when the EC225s could return to normal operations, Mr Farajallah said, but he added: “The next steps need to be guided by the regulators.
“The helicopters remain under these restrictions . . . but Eurocopter has become more and more confident in its position following the forensic detail it has gone through to find the cause of the incidents.”
Bond, which employs 250 people in Aberdeen, has a 17-strong fleet of aircraft in the North Sea.