I keep hearing rumors that Shell no longer accepts bid tenders with S76 a/c.
You will note the S-76C being phased out this year in Nigeria (by EC155s then AW139s) and shortly after a similar scenarion in the GOM (by AW139s).
This follows a study done by senior Shell Aircraft staff between Dec 2003 and Mar 2005. This concluded that 'a significant number of S-76 variants have been lost in accidents' but that 'while there is no significant single shortfall that warrent cessation of operations', Shell Group would not achieve its safety targets with the continued use of the S-76.
- Approval for the A was withdrawn then.
- The A+ was to be limited to low utilisation contracts only (600 hours pa or less) after 1 Apr 2008 and withdrawn by 1 Apr 2011.
- The C+/++ was to be limited to low utilisation contracts only after 1 Apr 2011 and withdrawn by 1 Apr 2013.
The D of course was designed since but isn't considered to mitigate the hazards inherent with the type as it does not include many of the benefits found on aircraft certified to FAR29 Amendment 45+ and so is not ALARP.