Bond Helicopters expanding

[abzheli]

Looks like Bond Helicopters are expanding their base in Aberdeen. Is it true that they are taking over the old Heli-one hangar in a few weeks time and also looking at turning the old club house next to the GAMA hangar into their new terminal. They are also ment to be getting another 2 or 3 more EC225's in June. Have Bond won more contracts or just an increase workload with their contracts they already have.

[BabyGravy]

Interesting. Does this mean there will be jobs on go ? Another abinitio course ? Is the old hangar used or has it lain empty since H1 left ? Good to see expansion and investment in Aberdeen.

[Heliringer]

They have also expanded into Australia but use the name Australian Helicopters over here.

[rewritable]

Check their website, Bondaviationgroup.com for jobs, if and when they come up

[Epiphany]

I thought Bond were now part of INAER?

[havick]

Heliringer. Note quite correct, but almost. Bond and Australian Helicopters are owned by the same parent company, same one that owns Inaer.

Bond is operating in their own right under their own offshore AOC in Australia should they win any contracts.

[choppersky]

"I thought Bond were now part of INAER?"

Correct.

[Bravo73]

"I thought Bond were now part of INAER?"

Correct.

Incorrect.

Bond and INAER are now both part of the World Helicopter Group.

[gulliBell]

ROTORHUB

World Helicopters acquires Bond Aviation Group for ?300m

02 May 2011 - 14:09 by the Shephard News Team

World Helicopters, the holding company of Grupo Inaer ("Inaer"), owned by Investindustrial and KKR, today announces the successful acquisition of Bond Aviation Group ("Bond), the UK's largest independent emergency and mission critical helicopter operator.

With over 40 helicopters, Bond provides onshore and offshore helicopter services to the emergency services, police and oil and gas operators.

Inaer, with ca. 320 aircraft (273 rotary and 47 fixed wing), is the leading global provider of mission critical helicopter services and has operations in Europe, Australia, North Africa and south America.

Peter and Stephen Bond have made a substantial financial investment into the World Helicopter Group and will both have executive seats on the World Helicopters Board.

Peter Bond will remain Chairman of the Bond Aviation Group and the Bond operations brand will continue as will the current senior management team in Bond Offshore helicopters and Bond Air Services.

Peter Bond, executive Chairman of Bond Helicopters, said: "Bond is a perfect fit with Inaer. Both share the same entrepreneurial spirit and are complementary on both a geographical and fleet basis.

"We are excited about the prospects that World Helicopters brings with its strong capital base for the continued successful expansion and operation of Bond Air Services and Bond Offshore Helicopters, ensuring the highest levels of service provision and flexibility to meet our customers' requirements. Furthermore, the resulting Group will leverage on its enlarged size to stay at the forefront in terms of safety, technology advances and fleet capabilities".

Luis Minano, Executive Chairman of Inaer, commented: "We are delighted to have completed this integration which provides us with a strong platform for growth in the fast growing international emergency services market. In the last five years we have built Inaer into a leader in terms of quality, safety and reliability serving governments, local authorities, commercial clients and the public in saving lives and protecting the environment.

"This acquisition provides us with access to a strong management team and further opportunities to extend our safety and training investments to support our clients. The two entities will operate ca. 360 aircraft worldwide".

Source: World Helicopters / Bond

[DMackie]

Reporting Scotland claiming that Bond are about to announce they have won a contract from Shell!

Presume this is for Aberdeen and the one currently held by Bristow?

[farsouth]

The poisoned chalice...............??

[industry insider]

Central North Sea I believe. See post 170 on Shell Southern NS contract thread.

[DMackie]

This seems like rapid growth from Bond. Are they going to be able to have enough pilots and engineers for another new contract?

[iamthetroll]

As far as pilots are concerned, I know a few guys who have been employed recently and they tell me that there are quite a number of conversion courses planned (with people confirmed as bums on seats) for the foreseeable future.

[HeliComparator]

Presumably Shell will be waiting for the hooha to die down before announcing to whom they have awarded the contract.

[roundwego]

BBC News - Bond Offshore Helicopters managing director Bill Munro steps down (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-18241259)

I see the CEO of the UK parent company is also leaving. Is this the precursor to a major rebranding to get rid of the troubled Bond name?

Such a shame that so much bad luck has befallen them since the relaunch of Bond. The old Bond managed to survive decades without such major incidents when the bigger operators had several very serious accidents. Just the way the dice falls I guess.

[terminus mos]

Coincidental. The succession planning has been in place for some time.

[iamthetroll]

The parent company CEO retired. Bond Offshore MD stood down/aside. Might be connected but it appears that the two are not related, then again I may just be naive.

[jymil]

How are jobs written out at Bond ? I've never really seen actual job offers posted on their website.

[HeliComparator]

Oh well, I see the expected has been announced and Shell are dumping Bond before they have even started.

[2papabravo]

Should the thread title be changed to 'Bond Helicopters Contracting'? :\

[helihub]

No, because Shell are not contracting with them :ok:

[terminus mos]

Whisper that Bond maybe expanding downunder as Bond Helicopters Australia, with a new office in Perth and a new customer.....Sa-wat-dee kraup??

[212man]

PTTEP I assume?

[Richard Taylor]

Local paper here reported they'd picked up another UKCS contract with Enquest, utilizing a 92 out of Aberdeen.

Don't know if that's a new contract or or won from a competitor.

[terminus mos]

212, that's the rumour....should be announced sometime this week. Current contractor is CHC Australia based at YTST.

[rotortorque]

I've heard 2 x S92 & 2 x EC225 for YTST....

[industry insider]

Rotor Q

If Bond does win PTTEP then it will be 225s, the requirement would not be 4 aircraft for PTTEP.

INPEX will be using 2x Bristow S-92s from Darwin and then maybe YTST for the Ichthys field pipeline.

[meanttobe]

Its not a Bond expansion its an Australian Helicopter expansion under the Avincis Group. They are push a serious expansion plan worldwide at the moment along with sucessfully holding onto already existing contracts. Both oF the new S92 destine for Norwy are now on long term contracts in Abz. One with Premier Oil and the other with EnQuest. They have also taken Richard Burman ex Bristow Senior Vice President onto the Board of Directors for Avincis. Currently they have both S92 and EC 225 on order along with a large AW order so the push to break into Brazil , SE Asia and Australia is well placed.

[Bravo73]

Its not a Bond expansion its an Australian Helicopter expansion under the Avincis Group.

You're wrong, I'm afraid.

Bond Offshore Australia is a separate operation to Australian Helicopters. AH deal primarily with onshore contracts (and marine pilot transfers) whilst Bond Offshore Australia will be the offshore side of things.

[meanttobe]

Offices | Bond Aviation Group (http://www.bondaviationgroup.com/about-us/offices)

I stand corrected. Will the PTTEP tender go there way this week so?

[Captain Catastrophy]

Good luck taking on RB................

[terminus mos]

Bond wins PTTEP with 3x 332L graduating to EC225s (eventually). Aircraft will be based in Truscott.

[yarpa]

I heard that there is a bunch of the 'Kelly Gang' ready to jump ship.

[terminus mos]

Everyone will want to jump off that particular ship. It is sinking. This is the first "big" one they have lost. I predict there may be more...

[Fareastdriver]

They can keep Truscott.

[meanttobe]

Looks like some of the players are looking to re finance to help expand.

http://www.avincisgroup.com/media/167713/bond_launch_-_press_release.pdf

CHC Helicopter Prices Private Offering of US$300 Million Senior Unsecured Notes Due 2021 (http://www.chc.ca/AboutCHC/News/Pages/CHC-Helicopter-Prices-Private-Offering-of-US$300-Million-Senior-Unsecured-Notes-Due-2021.aspx)

With Bond recent wins in the North Sea and the report of winning the PTTEP contract in Oz the pressure is on CHC to win or retain some work. Australia Helicopters has just won the RQ RACQ contract in Oueenland from CHC and Victoria State Government has just released a tender for renewal of rotary wing services. Interesting time ahead on Oz. Rumour has it CHC have leased two 412 to Australia Helicopters.