Hopes that grounded Super Puma helicopters could make a swift return to offshore service have suffered a setback.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said yesterday that restrictions on the EC225 model will not be lifted or relaxed until manufacturer Eurocopter gets to the bottom of a gearbox problem.
Use of the aircraft has been suspended since two incidents in the North Sea last year. Tests are being carried out in an attempt to determine the root cause.
Two weeks ago, Bristow Group chief executive Bill Chiles said he expected the firm’s 16 grounded Super Pumas, including 11 inthe UK, to be back in the air by spring or early summer.
But both Eurocopter and the CAA say they are waiting for a permanent solution before any EC225s will fly again.
A spokesman for the CAA said the body is working closely with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and with the operators of Super Puma EC225s.
He added: “The operational restrictions that have been in place since the end of last year will not change unless a permanent solution or fix has been provided by EASA.
“We do not have either at the moment. We are liaising with all operators, who are frustrated, but we are waiting for a development that will allow the operational restrictions to be lifted.
“Safety is the number one priority and the position will not change until Eurocopter can prove the safety of its operations over open water.”
Last year, a Bond-operated Super Puma ditched off the coast of Aberdeen and in October a CHCScotia craft landed in the North Sea off Shetland.
In both incidents, a crack was found in the gearbox, but the underlying cause of the fault remains unknown.
A spokesman for Eurocopter said the company expected the results of a third round of tests will be available at the end of the month. A spokesman for Eurocopter said: “For the past weeks, Eurocopter has continued to regularly communicate with customers/operators and industry representatives concerning the EC225 main gearbox shaft failures, while respecting the confidentiality of the official accident investigation.
“Eurocopter has announced the launch of a third test campaign with more sophisticated evaluations that focus on the most probable cause.”
Hopes that grounded Super Puma helicopters could make a swift return to offshore service have suffered a setback.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said yesterday that restrictions on the EC225 model will not be lifted or relaxed until manufacturer Eurocopter gets to the bottom of a gearbox problem.
Use of the aircraft has been suspended since two incidents in the North Sea last year. Tests are being carried out in an attempt to determine the root cause.
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