What's new in Tanzania

[helico2003]

Gents,

Propose a new thread on Tanzania to be started?
The country is booming with all sorts of expats moving in and two big names in heli ops are presently there: Bristow and CHC

Shall we? Door is open....

[soggyboxers]

Scarcely booming. CHC has 2 S76s in the hangar. I think their AW139 went to Kenya, but it may be in Mtwara. Bristow has a contract with Everett Aviation who actually have the Statoil contract

[MamaPut]

From what I hear, although everyone says Tanzania is a lovely place compared to Nigeria, there's not much going on there this year apart from the Statoil contract. CHC had a problem because the Tanzanian CAA wouldn't allow them to carry on flying on the Canadian registration and they lost their S76 contract to Everett, but I think they still have an AW139 in Mtwara, near the Mozambique border flying for BG? I don't know if they've changed the aircraft registrations yet though?
Although Everett won the Statoil contract and has the Tanzanian AOC all the 139s are leased from, flown and engineered by Bristow. Bristow International has a problem getting people to go there because they're not paying enough (much less than here in Nigeria) and Everett can't get anybody because they pay a lot less than Bristow.
There is a lot of interest in that part of Africa for gas and Kenya and Mozambique have also had a lot of seismic surveys done, but it looks as if Statoil and BG are the only ones doing much of anything this year.
I heard that Starlite Aviation are also looking at Tanzania and may have already applied for an AOC. They seem to be doing pretty well and are expanding so maybe they'll also be there later this year or next year if things pick up.

[400hover]

Everett cant get anybody??? Only if already type rated... because i phoned them and they say they have all the pilots needed...

[maeroda]

So far in Mtwara there are two 139 flying the BG contract with C registered aircrafts, one on the line the other for SAR level 2 required by the customer.
They are in short final papers process for the TZ AOC.

[Vie sans frontieres]

What is SAR level 2?

[maeroda]

According to manuals is SAR service provided to the costumer and maintained by a tailored training programme.
Normally is VFR Day only and often limited to tasks doesn't requiring auto hovering operations.

[Vie sans frontieres]

Do the crew change flights in Tanzania only take place during daylight hours then?

[helimutt]

yes. daylight flights except for medevac

[Phone Wind]

Everett has an auto-hover AW139 with dual winch, nitesun and FLIR

[Phone Wind]

Interesting. It looks as if Everett are getting rid of their Twin Squirrel in Tanzania. Is it being replaced with something?

2000 Eurocopter AS 355N For Sale (http://www.aviadealer.com/en/2000_Eurocopter_AS-355-N_TBD_TBD_for_sale/ID5831/50)

[maeroda]

Rumors gives the hummingbird out the country by september, Everett (bristow) taking over with brand new helicopters.

[soggyboxers]

You shouldn't believe all the rumours you hear :hmm:. The Humming Bird S76s are already being prepared for air freighting - possibly to Malabo? I guess time will tell. They were replaced in Dar by Everett's 3 139s, but CHC still have a 139 contract out of Mtwara.

[Keke Napep]

Shell readies for exploration drilling off Tanzania?s coast - Business | The Citizen (http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/Business/Shell-readies-for-exploration-drilling-off-Tanzania-s-coast/1840414-3383696-format-xhtml-mib5sdz/index.html)

It seems that after the pull out of Statoil last year, Shell is preparing to be the first company to return to an offshore drilling programme later this year.

Has anyone heard any rumours about which helicopter companies are bidding? CHC and Bristow were the last two offshore operators (Bristow operating under the Everett AOC). Everett has an AMO and a big hangar complex it built when it got the Statoil contract and they also operated for Ophir a couple of years back

[maeroda]

Soggyboxers,

CHC... had a 139 contract out of Mtwara....and yes, unfortunately the hummingbird left the country in December 2014.

[Phone Wind]

I don't think there's anything in country big enough to service an offshore contract that far out, and I'd guess that whatever does it will be based in Dar to save an extra fixed wing leg to Mtwara. If it's for Shell that would probably rule out an S76. That would probably mean an AW139 or even an S92 with current aircraft availability and prices in a depressed market. That would probably narrow it down to CHC or Bristow both of which will probably have aircraft crews available, some of whom would likely have previous experience in Tanzania and may even have Tanzanian licences

[Keke Napep]

I think Heli Union has the contract with 2 AW139

[212man]

I think Heli Union has the contract with 2 AW139

That's correct. Also, it's not 'true' exploration as such: they're just commitment wells.

[Keke Napep]

That's correct. Also, it's not 'true' exploration as such: they're just commitment wells.


Presumably that's just to fulfill the terms of the licence and show a commitment to full production some time in the future?

Will the aircraft be based in Mtwara or Dar es Salaam?