S92's flown from Falklands to Norway

[HeliStudent]

Volga-Dnepr Airlines has carried one of Eurocopter’s Super Puma helicopters and two Sikorsky S-92 helicopters from Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands and Philadelphia, U.S., to Bergen, Norway.

The project was completed in two delivery stages. The Super Puma was loaded on one of the airline’s AN-124-100 freighters in Mount Pleasant before the aircraft continued onto the U.S. to pick up two new Sikorsky helicopters, which flew into Philadelphia under their own power to be prepared for transportation to Norway.

Each helicopter was about 16 meters in length and weighed 10 tons. To place all three helicopters in the An-124’s cargo hold some of the aircraft’s components were removed and delivered on the same flight. The operating height of the flight was changed to 8,000 meters instead of the usual 10,000 meters to ensure the correct cabin pressure was maintained throughout the journey.

PHOTO (http://www.breakbulk.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Helicopter-loading-onto-Volga-Dneprs-AN-124-freighter.jpg)


Volga-Dnepr Flies Helicopters to Norway - Breakbulk (http://www.breakbulk.com/breakbulk-news/transportation-logistics/air/volga-dnepr-flies-helicopters-to-norway/)

[KG86]

A somewhat misleading title to this thread, if I may say.

I was looking forward to reading about a superb feat of endurance in flying S92s the whole length of the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, we hear that two S92s were transported in the back of an An124 from the US to Norway.

Not quite such headline news.

[HeliStudent]

So sorry. Maybe the Moderator can change the title to "airlifted" or something?

[albatross]

A 92 ferry from Falklands to Norway - now that would be fun!

[SpringHeeledJack]

Assuming a normal (legal) working day and decent weather, I wonder how long that would take, and for that matter the fuel costs ?

[SilsoeSid]

I was looking forward to the anti clockwise route via Bouvet Island and up the West African coast :uhoh:

[albatross]

3-4 weeks at least via north to Canada and onwards bring a big credit card and lots of cash.
I am assuming aux tanks and RIPS.
Just my WAG.
But it would be an experience.

[Fareastdriver]

No big deal once you get on the mainland. A Bristow Wessex was ferried from the UK to Australia in the seventies.

[Tourist]

BAS Twin-Otters do it every year.
Twice
Very similar speeds....

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

How long did that take? I remember hearing about the epic journey of 5 Wessex from here to Cyprus...67 days had elapsed by the time the last one made it to Akrotiri, if I recall correctly...

[inputshaft]

No S92s ever in the Falklands. The Antonov flew an L2 out at the end of CHC's 18 month contract supporting O&G exploration. The other L2 had already departed by ship in Dec.

[VP-F__]

BAS Twotters do UK to the Antarctic in about 14 days

[Anthony Supplebottom]

Flying a Puma from the Falklands to Europe would certainly be less expensive than an airlift with the An-124.

[chute packer]

Bristow flew 2x EC225 from Aus to the UK last year. About a 10 day trip.

[nomorehelosforme]

Of the 2x EC225's

[212man]

Bristow flew 2x EC225 from Aus to the UK last year. About a 10 day trip.


I very much doubt it was 10 days!

[riff_raff]

Such a long ferry flight would probably put more wear and tear on the aircraft than the owners would like, not to mention the potential risk of losing or damaging one of the aircraft in transit. Paying to transport them on the AN-124 is probably a wise investment.

Here's a classic video clip of a CH-53E (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NZA8fCSKE8c) that shows one of the potential hazards involved with long helicopter flights. :eek:

[Snarlie]

Long range ferry flights were routinely conducted by Bristow in earlier times - UK to Australia, UK to Malaysia etc. One of the main considerations was commercial in that the aircraft would come off one contract in the North Sea and be required on another contract in pretty short order. If there wasn`t a convenient passing AN 124, the only option was to fly them out. The point about damage was another consideration, aircraft sometimes suffered from local difficulties en route but the advice I received from an old stager was to book into the most expensive hotel locally and be sure Bristow would find you within a matter of hours!
There used to be a well trodden path out to the Far Flung where local helpers would flock to the red, white and blue colours of Bristow knowing that there would always be a cheery crew and possibly a backhander for services rendered, but I don`t think you can do that nowadays.

[heli1]

In those earlier days there were no big civil freighters.The Antonovs were behind the Iron Curtain and the Shorts Belfast was still in RAF service...only the occasional short cabin Hercules was available .Thus flying your Wessex was the only alternative to shipping it by sea or dismantling it quite extensively,both of which delayed getting started at the other end.
Incidentally the first LR Wessex (G-AVNE) is in the Helicopter Museum.It flew out to Indonesia ,later went to Oz and then flew back to Nigeria during its life with Bristow.

[exlatccatsa]

I believe these 3 have all ended up in Aberdeen.. if only we had a longer runway!!
Long distance Heli flights:
There are 2 L2's on their way to Bennin from Aberdeen as we speak.. despite the 225 Groundings.

[212man]

despite the 225 Groundings

I think it's because, not despite!

[heli1]

One S-92 certainly has ended up in Aberdeen.....the other was Norwegian registered.

[jon19vtb]

Aus - Abz was 14 days via some interesting stops along the way.

[John Eacott]

There is already a thread on ferry flights and times taken: What's the longest distance you've flown? (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/73949-whats-longest-distance-youve-flown.html) :ok: