Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Rotorheads
Reload this Page >

What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)

Wikiposts
Search
Rotorheads A haven for helicopter professionals to discuss the things that affect them

What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11th Oct 2010, 18:23
  #4141 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Croydon
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
From the AW website:
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica Company, is pleased to announce that BlueWay AS of Norway has signed a contract for three AW139 medium twin engine helicopters. The helicopters will be operated by its subsidiary DanCopter to support Shell offshore oil & gas operations in Nigeria. The three aircraft, which will be delivered in late 2011, will be configured in 12-seat offshore passenger configuration and equipped with a rescue hoist and cargo hook.
It goes on to include comments that could suggest a certain contributor here might be an AW copy writer:

The type has been able to meet several stringent operational and safety requirements such as the one of Shell Aircraft International which fully approved it for worldwide use by Shell companies in 2007,
Are these 3 to replace the Danish EC155B1s?
Are the B1s on the Nigerian register yet?
If so what will replace the rest of the fleet?

I doubt Caverton-DanCopter can crew up fast enougth to fly their current aircraft let alone free crews for AW139 training.

And winching... is that a a recipe for disaster?

IIRC didn't the Shell's welsh wonder buy winches and nitesun for the EC155Bs when he was wined and dined in France? Pity the aircraft didn't have the performance to safely train
squib66 is offline  
Old 11th Oct 2010, 19:05
  #4142 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saxthorpe
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
squibb,

You seem to have hit the nail bang on the jolly head! Of course these 155B1s are just to replace old man Bristow's S76s, and the Italian truck jobbies are to replace the industrial drillers' amazingly successful 155Bs (whatever happened to the A?!!). Remember the Gallic wunderkind was trained up by Ray Smellonds, who was responsible for many of the industrial drillers' dubious advances. He was never noted for his brain power, and indeed, seemed modelled on a typical cavalry officer (though without the class dear boy!).

A little birdie tells me that the B1s may never actually be quite on the 5N register - too much filthy lucre to pay to the jolly old revenue. They were brought in on the QT and that's how they'll stay - even if the earlier-mentioned Day Vally-chappie tries to tells these Johnnies-come-Lately that it simply isn't done. Neturelly, for the European Latinos, this is all something they don't quite ken, being not only foreign, but also renowned for their inability to take their drink, un-like proper cavalrymen.

It all seems like something from Alice-in-Wunderland or the Night Garden as the Ninky-Nonks and the Tumblieboos roll, across the scenery oblivious to anything in the real world most of we chaps have to live in. It seems that Aero has experienced a surge of life and are yet again having to help out the Johnnies-come-Lately in Warri who, even with the Industrial drilling conglomerate's machines and those form their erstwhile Nordik partner, are unable to cope! Meanwhile, down in the wastes of the western swamps in Port Harcourt a young Viking chappie is wondering how to cope with his perfectly Nigerian oriented deputy who despite his shirts and suits from New and Lingwood actually got his Oxford doctoral diploma in Theology from that world-leader, Oxford Brookes University.

Word on the street is that the interlopers, disappointed with their Portuguese and Danish pastry alliances, now feel that with the jolly old froggies, they have at last found a soulmate where money is definitely one step above principle. It seems our jolly old chums Jonny l'oignon are ready to operate tea-drowners' machines in place of their native Oignocopters for an unholy alliance with the Johnnies-come-lately! Interesting times - is this Wellington versus Napoleon with native auxiliaries battling again? Isn't that a pip?
Jumbo Trotter is offline  
Old 11th Oct 2010, 19:17
  #4143 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: retirementland
Age: 79
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
More great progress to confound the doubters.
Yes, winching will be a great extra capability.
Shell Management is offline  
Old 14th Oct 2010, 21:56
  #4144 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: retirementland
Age: 79
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It is also great that HFDM has finally been introduced in Nigeria after years of dragging of heels by a certain 'US' helicopter corporation.

As the company that pioneered HFDM, Shell are leading the Global HFDM Operations effort. For more information see: http://www.ihst.org/portals/54/2010i...erspective.pdf

It is pleasing that after years of development effort by Shell Aircraft International, Shell now has two Nigerian operators to choose from: Caverton-Dancopter and Aero, even if Aero still currently operating old technology aircraft such as the S-76 and the EC155A, which clearly is not at the standard of Shell's own EC155Bs and Caverton's B1s. Though of course Aero can only be on short term contracts with such old aircraft to meet the SAI safety case.
Shell Management is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2010, 10:23
  #4145 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
HFDM

Dear SM
HFDM was secretly going on under your very nose sir - remember the Snake Island operation? It was very hush hush of course, they were not sure if it would catch on with too many bells and whistles all going off at the same time.

Ah - the memories of Snake Island, Dodgy Acs, rugby matches turned off 5 mins before end of game Australian BQs..... we thought it would never end. But end all things do and sometimes things that seem eternal last less than the temporary So.. best off to quaff Pat's finest and enjoy the weekend Monday always comes around too soon.
Ikoyian is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2010, 10:30
  #4146 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: retirementland
Age: 79
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sorry I'd forgotten that. The operator spent almost as long introducing that as they did getting their hangar built and they never fitted the capability to the aircraft they flew on the SPDC contracts (no encouragement for a contractual renewal!). Shows you how inefficient these large multi-national helicopter operators really are. Nice to see their head sheds stopping the lip service and finally signing up to support the IHST last month at Shell's insistance. Very overdue.
Shell Management is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2010, 10:49
  #4147 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
SM

Ah yes the hangar story... that deserves a separate thread...

Better leave story to another time

Last edited by Ikoyian; 15th Oct 2010 at 11:03.
Ikoyian is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2010, 14:16
  #4148 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: retirementland
Age: 79
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes all those problems (i.e. Can't Open Buildings In-time) are in the past. That delay would not happen under the new local arrangements.
Shell Management is offline  
Old 15th Oct 2010, 16:19
  #4149 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Here and there...
Age: 58
Posts: 854
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
That delay would not happen under the new local arrangements
Probably just work outside, after all, hangars are for those pesky foreign types.......
Much like that other short lived domestic circus that tried it on in PH a few years back ......

It's easy to criticize others' standards when you have none of your own.
unstable load is offline  
Old 23rd Oct 2010, 17:04
  #4150 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: retirementland
Age: 79
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It because certain oil companies have such high aviation standards that the next fleet upgrade is not far away!




Looks rather fine don't you think?

Caverton were the the launch customer for a very sophisticated quality and safety managment system called Prism that is far better than anything CHC or Bristow have and is used by a number of forward thinking operators. See here: FlightSafety offers PRISM Safety Management System
Shell Management is offline  
Old 24th Oct 2010, 00:22
  #4151 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: KOLM and KBVS
Age: 52
Posts: 274
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Good lord, SM... has PPRuNe become a marketing space for you?
Hedge36 is offline  
Old 24th Oct 2010, 08:36
  #4152 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Afrika sometimes
Age: 68
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
SM is indeed blatantly marketing a company called Prism, one of whose directors is the consultant to the Caverscam/ConDoctor joint venture (which may have safety issues of its won soon as several of its pilots are now into much longer than normal tours as they are so short of pilots). Dave Allen is a consultant to the JV, a former director of Schreiner (which many will remember as the original partner of Aero, a company which SM also loves to put down, but which is now providing an S76 - a type SM hates - because all the EC155s Smell has can't cope with the work).

Oh, and another director is Graham Walker, now the Group Director of Safety for Caverscam. He set up the SMS for Schreiner. Of course the majority of his health and safety courses were paid for by Smell when he was working for Bristow, soon after which he lost his licence. Soon after that he got a big break when he was invited by old friend Dave Allen to tender for an SMS for Schreiner.
TomBola is offline  
Old 24th Oct 2010, 16:02
  #4153 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: In the gutter..........
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 1 Post
Oh, dear. I hope we are not getting too close to identifying SM? Whatever would we do without his inane rambling views on the ways of the world?
pants on fire... is offline  
Old 24th Oct 2010, 16:29
  #4154 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Downeast
Age: 75
Posts: 18,290
Received 515 Likes on 215 Posts
Now there is a marriage made in Heaven!

Graham Walker, now the Group Director of Safety for Caverscam
Ah....the cream does float!
SASless is online now  
Old 24th Oct 2010, 19:51
  #4155 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Africa
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oh dear!! SM has finally pushed everyone to the point of deciding to reclaim what is ours and not an advert platform. I don't have a problem with multiple players in the market and definitely nothing against Caverton/Dancopter, it's good for the industry. SM, please and pleaseeee, try to make constructive comments and stop p#$$ing everyone off!!!
Capt. Black Eagle is offline  
Old 25th Oct 2010, 18:01
  #4156 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: retirementland
Age: 79
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sorry for your confusion. That was NOT an advert for any one SMS. In fact there are better options out there! The point is that some small operators are making leaps forward.
Shell Management is offline  
Old 25th Oct 2010, 19:33
  #4157 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Land of the roundabouts.
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rumours.

I just heard today that two of the engineers at Caverscan in Warri are possibly resigning due to constantly working 12 to 13 hour days. Surely Harry the headache must have the health and saftey issue of the lads on the ground in his grips as well, as those in the air.
Grunt92 is offline  
Old 26th Oct 2010, 02:09
  #4158 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: AFRICA
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
SM
Looks rather fine don't you think?
Looks great, very good photoshop work from this picture

http://www.agustawestland.com/sites/...s/AW139_01.jpg

But not an offshore machine, no liferaft, no floats, and no wide sliding door but a small hinge door, one of the early model with short nose
froggy_pilot is offline  
Old 26th Oct 2010, 06:51
  #4159 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Inside the Industry
Posts: 876
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I heard the other day from a close source that Shell had entered a 1 year bridging support contract with Heli Union to assist during the transition?
industry insider is offline  
Old 26th Oct 2010, 07:29
  #4160 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Beside the seaside
Posts: 670
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Caverton, Dancopter, ACN and now Heli Union. All contracted by Shell in one form or another to attempt to replace one operator (Bristow). Sounds like a good deal....
Epiphany is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.