'Offshore" Definition

[mustering guru]

Just wondering what is the exact definition of 'Offshore' flying is?

I currently fly where I am over water 95% of the time, sometimes IFR sometimes VFR in a multi engine helicopter operation. I never land on any offshore platforms though, it's Airport to Airport or HLS all land based.

Does this constitute 'Offshore operations' ? Or is offshore mainly recognised in conjunction with landing on offshore platforms or vessels?

Cheers,

MG

[benq]

Or is offshore mainly recognised in conjunction with landing on offshore platforms or vessels.

YEP

[Epiphany]

Flying over water is relatively easy and most pilots can achieve this with a bit of practice. Trying to convince an offshore operator that this counts as 'offshore' will be a tad more difficult.

[JimL]

Offshore operations is defined in ICAO Annex 6 (and will be in EASA OPS); there are several linked definitions - they are:

Offshore operations. Operations which routinely have a substantial proportion of the flight conducted over sea areas to or from offshore locations. Such operations include, but are not limited to, support of offshore oil, gas and mineral exploitation and sea-pilot transfer.

Operation. An activity or group of activities which are subject to the same or similar hazards and which require a set of equipment to be specified, or the achievement and maintenance of a set of pilot competencies, to eliminate or mitigate the risk of such hazards.

Note.— Such activities could include, but would not be limited to, offshore operations, heli-hoist operations or emergency medical service.

The term 'offshore operations' is used in Annex 6 (and EASA OPS) as a way of ensuring that appropriate Standards are applied when the majority of flying is over water (in connection with offshore operations).

The text is Annex 6 is sometimes 'open ended' to allow States to extend the definition to include other over-water activities "which are subject to the same or similar hazards and which require a set of equipment to be specified, or the achievement and maintenance of a set of pilot competencies, to eliminate or mitigate the risk of such hazards" (hence my inclusion of the definition of 'operation').

Under EASA OPS it is likely that 'offshore operations' will require a separate approval (as it does under JAR-OPS); it will set the objective standard (for existing prescriptive rules) and emphasise specific areas of operational procedures and crew training/checking. It is likely that this will be a Subpart under PART SPA and be applicable to all 'offshore operations' - i.e. including also those offshore operations which are not currently conducted/regulated under CAT.

Jim

[FlightPathOBN]

As you are in AUS, check MOS 173...

[gulliBell]

Can I ask, is the context of the question about employer experience requirements for flying in the offshore oil and gas industry?

I've previously worked for several employers in the offshore oil and gas support business who had high "offshore" experience requirements for pilots. We even had applicants who, despite many thousands of hours experience flying for the Coast Guard (obviously over water), didn't get the "tick in the box" for the offshore requirement. What the employer really means by offshore is "experience operating to fixed or floating vessels in an offshore oil and gas producing field".

So whatever the definition of "offshore", what they're really looking for is documented experience flying in an offshore oil field, for however many hours they feel necessary as a minimum (which is quite often about 500 hours).

[Brian Abraham]

We even had applicants who, despite many thousands of hours experience flying for the Coast Guard (obviously over water), didn't get the "tick in the box"

Obviously didn't know what the Coast Guard guys do. You seen the boats they land on?

[Geoffersincornwall]

In my experience the oil companies will respond positively to a letter from the CP or DO explaining the situation along with the training programme designed for this candidate who will obviously need to be schooled in the way of things in the oil and gas industry but is a very different prospect compared with a makey-learny newbie with just R22 experience and 250 hours or an ex-army grunt who might faint at the sight of water.

G. :}

[212man]

Yes, pragmatism is alive and well within the oil companies!

[JimL]

Yes Geoff - you have me summed up really well there.

Jim

[Geoffersincornwall]

Couldn't resist a wee dig at my Pongo chums, after all, as an ex-pinger I had to put up with a lot of flack from Junglies, Brown-Jobs, Crabs etc. Actually I seem to remember that many ex-AAC chaps ended up running much of the North Sea for quite a long time - and you didn't turn out too bad either. Amazing what yo can do if you get the right training.

G. :}