Coalface posted, Nick replies (belatedly!):
CF: Nick, thanks for the range/payload info.
NL: No sweat!
CF: By my calculations, a full offshore load of 19 passengers + bags + some freight will be able to be launched to a rig about 210 nautical miles out with home base as an alternate using North Sea reserves. This is a lot better than we have today.
NL: Close enough, with JAR reserves (mission +30 min +10%), it is 443 NM one way, so probably 220NM radius with some loading time on the rig.
CF: Is there an option to increase fuel capacity without affecting the offshore seating layout?
NL: We have to physically lose 2 seats to add 185 Gal, 4 seats to add two of the aux tanks, they each add 120 MN to the range, so you could go 560NM with one aux. However, the tank and fuel weigh about 1450 lbs, so you would have to carry about 16 pax/baggage at 220lbs each with full fuel to hold MGW limits.
CF: By the way, what is the weight capacity in the baggage bay and how will the offshore variant be configured? Is the hydraulic ramp a feature on all models? The bigger the baggage bay the better.
NL: The ramp is standard. The baggage is on the ramp, and in racks above and to the side of it with 2000 lbs as its limit (less, perhaps 1000 lbs or so due to CG on the typical oil machine). It is accessible from inside or outside. Roller floors are optional and pallets are easily loaded, the aircraft jacks up to allow a fork lift under, with 2 M clearance under the otherwise low tail cone. The pax seats each remove easily for cargo carrying.