North Sea oil and gas operators have committed to fund a new £60million search and rescue (SAR) helicopter service to help maintain safety standards.
It will supplement national SAR cover for parts of the Central North Sea.
Oil & Gas UK said Bond Offshore helicopters will operate the service, which was made possible by contributions from around 20 different companies involved in the sector.
It coincides with the launch of a new UK-wide search and rescue service by the Department for Transport next month at the same time as decommissioning plans for BP Miller platform, where the Jigsaw helicopter has been based.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said improvements have been made to offshore helicopter flights, but there is still more to be done.
The body said many of the safety objectives it had set last year had already been met such as emergency breathing systems and cancelling flights in the most extreme sea conditions.
It said the safety of those who travel in offshore helicopter flight is “paramount”.
New contracts for the oil and gas industry and also search and rescue (SAR) operations helped spur on Bristow Helicopters to a massive increase in profits.
Pre-tax profits of £91million in the 12 months to March 31, 2014, were up from £6.35million a year earlier. Turnover rocketed by 26% to £318.19million in the latest period, from £252.52million previously.
A spokeswoman for the firm said a number of factors drove the rise in profits.
More than 60,000 offshore workers are to have the span of their shoulders measured ahead of new regulations on body size coming into force in April.
Industry group Step Change in Safety has revealed its measurement strategy for helicopter passengers travelling to and from offshore installations that will ensure all can escape from windows in the case of accidents.
Workers whose shoulders measure greater than 22in will be classified as “extra broad” (XBR) and will be required to sit in a helicopter seat that’s closest window is compatible with their shoulder size.
Industry group Step Change in Safety has revealed its measurement strategy for helicopter passengers travelling to and from offshore installations.
The move comes after Step Change announced last year that passengers will be measured by the width of their shoulders for flights.
Those whose shoulders measure greater than 22inches (55.9cm) will be classified as extra broad.
As 2014 draws to a dramatic close for the industry, Energy Voice reflects on milestone events that fuelled a hectic year.
In the first of a three part series we look back at some of the game changers within the industry.
Later this week, we'll look at some of the highlights and defining moments in the months leading up to the Scottish referendum.
Oil and gas firms may have to charter boats or hire bigger helicopters to accommodate overweight workers after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided obese people can be classed as disabled.
Businesses are being warned to expect widespread and expensive consequences after law chiefs in Luxembourg ruled that being overweight qualifies as a disability.
The judgment follows the sacking of Karsten Kaltoft, a 25-stone childminder from Denmark.
The European Court of Justice has ruled obesity can constitute a disability.
The EU’s highest court was asked to rule on the case of a male childminder in Denmark who said he was sacked for being too fat.
Legal experts had warned that the move would offer crucial protection to offshore workers who fall foul of new helicopter safety legislation limiting the size of people travelling to North Sea platforms.
The court said that if obesity could hinder “full and effective participation” at work then it could count as a disability.
Safety checks have been ordered on Super Puma helicopters after it was warned cabin doors could jam shut in an emergency.
The airworthiness directive, issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), was given for the Airbus AS332 and EC225 aircraft.
Operators will now have to carry out an inspection within three months for aircraft more than a year old and within the next 15 months for more recent models.
CHC Helicopter is set to invest millions of pounds to transform its facilities in Aberdeen.
The company plans to deliver the expansion of its hangar capacity, passenger terminal and provide for a new operations centre.
The development will be delivered in two phases.
A helicopter with seven people on board was forced to make an emergency landing in Shetland yesterday.
A full scale emergency was declared at Sumburgh Airport, and the emergency services were called to the busy airport.
A North Sea helicopter carrying eight gas platform workers descended to within 50ft of the water after the pilots mistakenly thought the aircraft was not performing correctly, an air accident report has said.
