Shell and other supermajors say ‘no plans’ for return of Super Pumas
Oil supermajors including Shell have no plans to return controversial Super Puma helicopters to service in the North Sea.
helicopters
Operators told to replace S92 component
The US air safety regulator has issued an airworthiness directive for Sikorsky S92 helicopters following tests carried out by the manufacturer.
New gearbox checks ordered for Super Puma 225s
Europe’s aviation safety body has ordered another round of inspections on the gearboxes of Airbus 225 helicopters.
Copter resilience fleet not the answer to North Sea transport issues
A backup helicopter fleet is not the answer to the North Sea oil sector’s transport issues, an industry chief has said.
EASA updates directive on Airbus helicopters
Europe’s aviation safety body has handed down an airworthiness directive (AD) for a number of Airbus helicopter models.
CHC loses North Sea contract with Apache
Aircraft operator CHC Helicopter said today that the loss of its contract with Apache will not have an immediate impact on jobs at the company.
H175 helicopters add resilience to North Sea industry, safety chief says
The arrival of NHV in Aberdeen has added resilience to the North Sea oil and gas industry, an offshore safety chief said yesterday.
Persistence pays off as NHV opens Aberdeen heliport
Persistence paid off for NHV yesterday when the Belgian helicopter operator officially unveiled its heliport in Aberdeen, several years after deciding to come to Scotland.
Airbus proposes new Air Directive for EC225s after oil leaks
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a proposed Airworthiness Directive (AD) for EC 225 helicopters.
Offshore helicopter chiefs warn against “competing on safety”
An offshore helicopter safety chief yesterday urged the industry not to compete on safety.
HeliOffshore welcomes European proposals for pilots’ mental health checks
An offshore helicopter transport safety organisation has welcomed new European proposals for making sure pilots are mentally fit for flying.
Downturn and Brexit vote push revenues 20% lower at Bristow
North Sea helicopter operator Bristow said yesterday the continuing oil and gas sector downturn and the fallout from the Brexit vote had combined to take a chunk out of its earnings in the three months to June 30. Houston-headquartered Bristow said it was “proud” of its response to the grounding of Super Puma 225 helicopters following a fatal crash involving one of the aircraft in Norway in April. The company also enjoyed a 73% climb in earnings from UK search and rescue services, but any gains were offset by a 27.3% drop in revenues from oil and gas services to $253million (£192million).
Newcomer to Aberdeen helicopter scene close to unveiling new terminal
A Belgian challenger to the North Sea’s top three helicopter operators is less than a month away from completing work on a new passenger terminal in Aberdeen. NHV started transporting workers from Aberdeen International Airport (AIA) to North Sea installations at the start of 2016 as part of a contract with Chevron. Since then, NHV has been operating out of its new hanger at AIA, while work on its passenger terminal has been on-going.
Video: Stunning footage of Bristow Sikorsky S-92 flying over the North Sea
This footage shows a Bristow Sikorsky S-92 being flown over the North Sea. The fleet currently features more than 160 aircrafts of various types, which includes 75 Sikorsky S-92 aircraft in its consolidate fleet. These helicopters are operated in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas. Watch the stunning footage below.
Bristow completes first wave of job losses, second round expected in New Year
North Sea helicopter operator Bristow has completed its first wave of headcount reductions as it looks to streamline costs. The company announced in July it would be cutting up to 130 positions – including 66 pilots – in jobs across the UK. Earlier this month, CHC said it had let 18 members of staff go amid a challenging market place with the global decline in oil price.
Helicopter pilots in “overwhelming support” for strike action ballot
Helicopter pilots have shown “overwhelming support” for a vote on strike action in a move that could cripple the struggling North Sea oil and gas industry. More than a third of pilots operating in the North Sea nailed their colours to the mast at a meeting convened by their representative body in Aberdeen late on Thursday. It came after two of the sector’s main offshore transport providers announced plans to axe dozens of jobs in response to low oil prices.
BALPA calls for jobs summit after Bristow launches consultation
A call has been made by BALPA (The British Airline Pilots' Association) for the government to hold a summit on North Sea jobs. The plea comes after Bristow launched a consultation with staff over 130 positions. Bristow Helicopters told staff the global decline in oil price has prompted the decision, with up to 66 helicopter pilots and 64 other workers likely to be made redundant.
Safety still a “priority” one year on from offshore helicopter safety report
Safety remains an "absolute priority" one year on from the publication of a report addressing issues on offshore helicopter flights. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)'s CAT-1145 report was released on February 20, 2014 and listed 61 actions and recommendations aimed at addressing accident prevention for workers travelling offshore by helicopter. It comes one month after the CAA said there is still work to be done to improve flight safety.
Video: Flights from the North Sea
This video shows the daily complexities of air traffic across the UK - with an overview of the daily flights which take place from the British mainland to the North Sea. The video, UK 24, was created by NATS and pays close attention to the flights paths from the UK mainland to offshore platforms.