ABERDEEN

[Joe Curry]

That's got to be a first, an Old Firm team flying out of an airport outside
of Glasgow?

[OntimeexceptACARS]

The Gainjet 757 was already at ABZ from a previous charter, and made sense for Celtic to travel directly after the match rather than back to Glasgow.

Nothing to see here.

[Richard Taylor]

Obviously not, 'cos it's gone!

[FNG8010]

Gain jet 75W

The 757 positioned in from Le Bourget and was parked on Echo Apron for 4/5 days. It was specifically ordered for CFC's trip to the land of Borat.

Don't often see VIP 757's into ABZ (excluding trumperton)

It did not run an inbound charter.

[ANYWHERE BUT ABZ]

Edinburgh investment

Wow, 150 mil over 5 years investment at Edinburgh including enlargement of the terminal and attracting new routes and airlines all the time, any chance of a new owner for Aberdeen to rescue the airport?

[Richard Taylor]

Another carousel belt to start would be nice...like, soon...

[CaptainDoony]

Isn't the Edinburgh expansion not just multiplying the sq/ft count of the perfume shops?

[Richard Taylor]

At least you'll smell nice whilst waiting in departures!

[Joe Curry]

New owners at ABZ - and GLA/SOU - could happen given the possibility of
BAA putting all their eggs into the LHR basket

[ABZlad]

Aberdeen Investment?

With runway 23 being closed for aircraft parking recently and probably more often in the future, there is a pressing need for AIA to splash out on new concrete. Whilst they are at it they should consider a further runway extension, enlarging the terminal, a CAT2 landing capability and that extra baggage carousel. Don't go holding your breath though!

[SLF3]

With all these extra passengers, perhaps they will be able to afford someone to clean the toilets. Not every day, just in response to rising demand....

[Richard Taylor]

We have another helicopter ditching this evening, to the west of Shetland. Reported as a CHC machine, 18 on board.

Lerwick - Aberdeen ferry diverted to head to the scene, lifeboat resources also launched.

I pray all aboard are safe.

[Richard Taylor]

9 people arrived on Shetland off one of the rescue helicopters - 1 stretcher case, 8 walk-offs.

I hope the other 9 are safe on board the other rescue helicopter, but we'll have to wait & see.

Reported initially as a CHC AS332L2.

[Richard Taylor]

Search for three still unaccounted for. Some wreckage being washed up now. Sounds like it may have been quite a hard ditching.

[CaptainDoony]

Thanks for the updates Richard. Truly terrible news for the industry and the Super Puma. I can see a total loss in confidence in the type now so I imagine this will probably be the knockout blow even though it's not an EC225.

Sounds more like a crash than ditching considering t was less than half a mile form LSI. 3 souls unaccounted for. Hoping they turn up safe and well

[Richard Taylor]

CHC AS332L2

Good morning. Sadly figures revised - 14 rescued, three bodies recovered, one still missing.

Understand was inbound from the Borgsten Dolphin operating for Total at the North Alwyn field.

Couple of the survivors talk about a 'loss of power' a lurch to the left then right, and a sudden fall into the water. The machine then turned turtle.

No mayday called, such was its suddenness.

CHC UK ops closed today - no flights operating.

Over my time following the goings on at Aberdeen at the airport (& from that the oil industry) there have been incidents & accidents involving all types & none. However I also can't help but think - as Capt Doony alludes to - whether the Aerospatiale/Eurocopter SP/L2/225 family are now at journey's end in the UKCS. I remember what happened with the BV234 (Chinook) following its accident off Sumburgh.

It's going to cause yet more transportation disruption offshore, but I cannot think of another safer mode of transport (can you imagine ship - rig/platform/FPSO transfer in a Force 6 -10?). However, if the lads in the back lose all confidence in a type - & the majority of them will be nervous flyers - then that type will struggle to make it back. Personally, I do think this may now be the case with anything SP/225-shaped.

There have been remarkably few accidents given the amount of flying hours there have been down the years - but that is of no comfort to those affected by this & other earlier tragedies.

My condolences to the families of the lost.

[Richard Taylor]

CHC AS332L2

Police/CHC holding a conference now. The four have been named, including the first female fatality offshore. The crew among the survivors, so hopefully they can shed some light on what occurred when they are able to do so.

The fourth body believed to be in the main body of the helicopter, which they have managed to secure, although its location apparently precludes its boarding at the moment.

The fact that wreckage was found, coupled with initial comments from one or two of the survivors, does suggest a sudden, uncontrolled or semi-controlled ditch - did they even have time to deploy the floatation, & would they have inflated in time if so, given how close they were to the airport?

So many questions, including future transport - there aren't replacements 'on tap', just as we saw with the 225 hiatus. I just don't think ship - installation transfers are economically or practically feasible.

[ANYWHERE BUT ABZ]

Perhaps the time has come for all 3 companies based at Aberdeen to fly the S-92 and only the S-92. If I was bond,Bristow or chc I'd be getting the orders in quick smart, nobody seems to have confidence in any eurocopter model and would you feel safe flying in one of those going to your job every time, I doubt it

[Richard Taylor]

ABA, I think the 225 incidents last year highlighted the dangers in putting the majority of your eggs in one basket. Bristow especially were highly affected by the 225 groundings, as just about all of their flights from ABZ were of the 225 variety.

They quickly had to rush in S-92s as quickly as they were made available, plus draft in where they could - hence we saw, & are seeing, the AW139 & the return of the 332L Tigers from retirement. The latter now of course may be caught up in the grounding, however temporary that may prove to be. And Bristow 225s are not commercially flying yet.

All three companies are now talking about a mixed fleet (just like the old days!) so that they have a flexibility should - God forbid - there are future incidents.

The problem is that unlike the Chinook, where there were only 6 machines operating the UKCS when 'FC went down in 1986, the SP & family are presently the dominant type, so the grounding potentially causes a huge logistical problem.

There are other types that could potentially do a job, but no heli is 100% foolproof - not the 92, not the AW139, we'll see how the AW189 does, if/when it turns up in this neck of the woods. Maybe ditto the S76D that Bristow have also ordered, although not sure if it will make an appearance on the UKCS. All the new types look nice, but it's how they perform in the field that counts.

It's quite ironic I'm talking about Bristow, as none of the recent incidents have involved them, but the aftermath certainly does.

The guys that fly in the back are going to take a lot of convincing to step onto the SP family again I think, although Union leaders making general comments about grounding 'all types' are hardly helpful or practical. OK ban them all...just HOW will your members get to/from work then? Ship? I don't think so.

[ANYWHERE BUT ABZ]

Something needs to be done, I can't imagine the companies or oil workers can continue to fly the pumas, whether they split the fleet up with half s92 and something similar will only know in the future but grounding 30+ helicopters at Aberdeen alone will cause chaos for the movement of workers, fingers crossed it can be resolved quickly but also safety needs to be drastically improved to prevent anymore deaths, one death is one too many and I feel for the 4 families affected, just hoping something like this is not repeated and more money is spent on the safety aspect of offshore transit flights