Bristow Photos

[Dave Ed]

China

China



In 1983/4 Bristow Helicopters (BHL) and China Ocean Helicopter Corporation (COHC) negotiated and entered into a joint venture agreement to work in partnership to provide offshore helicopter services to the international oil companies then newly established in the People's Republic of China.

Commencing in the latter part of 1984, these operations started using Bristow AS332L "Super Puma" and SA330J "Puma" helicopters operating on the CAA civil register and being operated and maintained in accordance with CAA requirements. These initial operations were flown by mixed BHL/COHC crews with the aircraft also maintained by Bristow and COHC engineers.

In 1986, based on the demonstrated operating record and capabilities of the Bristow AS332L helicopters, COHC purchased and took delivery of two of this aircraft type for their own fleet releasing the Bristow SA330J "Puma" so that until mid-1994 all operations were conducted using Bristow/COHC "Super Pumas". In June 1994 the Sikorsky S-76A "plus" helicopter type provided by Bristows from the U.K. joined the fleet. Until late 1994 all operations were carried out from the COHC bases at Shenzhen and Zhanjiang in support of various multi-national oil companies.

In December 1994 a new operation started at Wenzhou to support the operations offshore in the developing East China Sea and this was followed by an operation at Tanggu which commenced in 1995. These latter operations have been supported using both COHC and Bristow AS332Ls and COHC SA365N "Dauphin" helicopters and associated personnel.

The pictures below show the arrival of the first aircraft at Hong Kong, these being AS332L "Tiger" G-TIGN and AS330 "Puma" G-BERH.

Dick Jones relates:- The Tiger and the Puma were shipped from UK six weeks apart, and arrived in Hong Kong on the same day at 6am whereupon we unloaded the Tiger, assembled it and flew it to Kai Tak airport. At 9pm we offloaded the Puma at another docks, fitted the blades etc. and the next day flew that to Kai Tak airport. The second Puma was ferried up from Australia, by pilot Tony Ferris and engineer Bob Grocke. After re-registering the Oz Puma to UK registration (no mean feat) they flew off to Shenzen Heliport. The ground crews went over on the hovercraft ferry to Shekou, and settled into the Tai Zhi hotel.

Crew Shekou, China 1984. Pilots:- Graham Lee, Robin Hunt, Mike Moran and Vavangas (Avgas). Engineers:- Dick Jones, Ian Stewart, John Murray, John Cureton, Tom Barber, Ian Robinson.












Now carrying COHC markings "RH" is shown here coming to the assistance of "GN" which is stuck on the rig due to an oil cooler failure.









Another "Puma" serving at Shekou was an Australian machine G-BFKZ which is shown here about to start the long journey back to its ozzie base, with floats removed! The third picture is "Tiger" G-TIGF with a COHC logo but location unsure.











Super Pumas in full COHC colours at Shekou (Shenzen). The first shot is taken on the apron with the second in the hangar which used to be a tank factory my sources tell me.