CHC Helikopter Service has ordered four Sikorsky S-92As for crew change operations in Norway. Three of the helicopters have already entered service as passenger aircraft for oil companies operating in the North Sea; two based in Bergen and one in Kristiansen.

The fourth helicopter is due to begin operations at the end of September, but its base is still to be confirmed. It is expected to be either Bergen, Kristiansen, or the company’s main operations base in Stavanger. CHC has ordered 12 helicopters altogether, according to the company’s engineering manager, Murray Timms. But, he added, it is “unlikely that more than four aircraft will be required for operations in Norway over the next two years.”

The Sikorsky S-92A can carry up to 19 passengers and should accumulate on average 1,500 to 2,000 flight hours per year, Timms stated.

As well as using Sikorskys for offshore operations, the company also uses Eurocopter Super Pumas and S-76 Dauphin aircraft. Safety is a major consideration for offshore operations, as pilots must be able to land on brightly lit oil platforms at night and in bad weather. And because there is no crew, they must also be trained in emergency procedures and be able to evacuate the aircraft, launch the life rafts, and on rare occasions put the aircraft down in the water.

Norway also has a number of its own local safety regulations. Timms explained that CHC has had to install a satellite tracking system into each helicopter (an adapted version of the MADS system used on large fixed wing aircraft) to ensure that they can be located at all times. Passengers must also wear special suits to protect them from the cold water.