Bristow Wrong Deck Landing
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: South East Asia
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Nav databases are second hand information. They can be wrong or out-of-date. They don't work for vessels under way or newly repositioned. AIS is accurate information direct from the 'horse's mouth'. Just as good as reading the name from the side of the rig or helideck before you land, only visible from miles away.
I understand that, and yet I've still never needed it
before using any waypoint it's accuracy us checked against the latest position reported that day. Even fixed installations are routinely checked
before using any waypoint it's accuracy us checked against the latest position reported that day. Even fixed installations are routinely checked
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Florida
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I worked offshore for quite a few years in the GOM. I did it once when I was new in a particular field. The platforms had a similar repeated pattern and I got confused as to where I was at. Was navigating by sight. The guy got out and started walking away when he realized he wasn't at the right place. I took him on the short flight where he needed to go. Red faced but no harm, no foul. I don't think anybody ever even knew but the workers at the platform were probably wondering what I was doing there but they never said anything. Another time I was told to go to XYZ platform in an area I have never worked before. Odd, XYZ not in the GPS? When I arrived at the coordinates there was nothing but open water. Turns out it was in a different lease block area but nobody bothered to tell me. This required a backtrack for fuel which resulted in some very pissed off workers as it was their flight in after 2 weeks offshore.
Not sure why all the hubbub about this as I don't ever recall anything more than embarrassment from this happening. The only real hazard I can think of would be an operating crane. The crane must be locked down and the operator must exit the cab for a helicopter landing and departing. Certainly could be a problem but the odds of them running a crane and the pilot not seeing it on the one day in your career you decide to land at the wrong platform, are pretty high.
Not sure why all the hubbub about this as I don't ever recall anything more than embarrassment from this happening. The only real hazard I can think of would be an operating crane. The crane must be locked down and the operator must exit the cab for a helicopter landing and departing. Certainly could be a problem but the odds of them running a crane and the pilot not seeing it on the one day in your career you decide to land at the wrong platform, are pretty high.
helonorth,
You might explain to the audience just how many Rigs, Platforms, Well Heads, etc there are in the GOM and how the Fields are laid out for Navigation purposes so they can appreciate the sheer number of chances one has to get it wrong.
The North Sea Oil patch is quite small compared to the GOM in numbers of landing sites....with many of them quiet small in size and fit for only Jet Ranger sized aircraft.
Do some scrolling and watch the Dots multiply with each click!
https://www.drillingmaps.com/Gulf.html#.XKZy9i-ZNBw
You might explain to the audience just how many Rigs, Platforms, Well Heads, etc there are in the GOM and how the Fields are laid out for Navigation purposes so they can appreciate the sheer number of chances one has to get it wrong.
The North Sea Oil patch is quite small compared to the GOM in numbers of landing sites....with many of them quiet small in size and fit for only Jet Ranger sized aircraft.
Do some scrolling and watch the Dots multiply with each click!
https://www.drillingmaps.com/Gulf.html#.XKZy9i-ZNBw
Join Date: Oct 2006
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That's true. Much easier to screw up doing 40-50 landings a day with platforms in close proximity rather than just a few landings as the large aircraft out in the deep water do. Usually much more distance between them, but not always. I still don't really see the big safety issue, though. The flaring of gas was mentioned but I believe that is mostly spontaneous and can't really be planned for with any certainty. It can occur even if there is no production. At least according to the signs telling you so on the platforms.
Possibly what might happen.
The oil company will be demanding a full investigation because their safety guy, the Unions and many pax will be jumping on the "wtf happened here?" bandwagon.
The helicopter company will be all over the crew like stink on poo telling them they have let everyone down. The crew will be told how this incident has caused a huge amount of embarrassment to the company and anger from the offshore workers particularly those who were on board the helicopter. The crew will be told how this incident has put the contract at risk and the possibility of damaging future contract prospects. The crew will be told just how much hard work and effort it has taken managers who have had to deal with the oil company in order to placate them.
The helicopter company will blame the crew entirely and if they are not demoted then written warnings will be the order of the day.
Telephone book down the back of the trousers will not be enough here.
Thats what a bloke down my local thinks may, possibly or likely happen.
The oil company will be demanding a full investigation because their safety guy, the Unions and many pax will be jumping on the "wtf happened here?" bandwagon.
The helicopter company will be all over the crew like stink on poo telling them they have let everyone down. The crew will be told how this incident has caused a huge amount of embarrassment to the company and anger from the offshore workers particularly those who were on board the helicopter. The crew will be told how this incident has put the contract at risk and the possibility of damaging future contract prospects. The crew will be told just how much hard work and effort it has taken managers who have had to deal with the oil company in order to placate them.
The helicopter company will blame the crew entirely and if they are not demoted then written warnings will be the order of the day.
Telephone book down the back of the trousers will not be enough here.
Thats what a bloke down my local thinks may, possibly or likely happen.
Join Date: Dec 2006
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I think the big issue here is the "Potential" for something to happen if all the wrong ducks line up. However, in all the wrong deck landings that have happened I am not aware of any "real" safety problem arising.
Pilots do not do this deliberately. There are always mitigating circumstances.
The "Potential" paranoia stems from the extensive investment in SMS, Risk awareness etc that can sometimes get in the way of reality.
The "Potential" for Bird Strike, Blade failure, bolt failure, engine failure.....etc...etc, we live with each and every day.
SMS and the subsequent investigation processes only add value when the objective is to determine why it happened and how to stop it happening again. None of that involves disciplining the crew.
In my experience., majority of these incidents stem from an initial "mindset" that has, for a number of reasons, detached from the plan.
However, over eager management with no operational experience will never really understand these circumstances. That's why in the old days we had a fat old CP, (see-it-done-it) sitting as judge and jury and not a panel of "Experts". Sometimes progress....just isn't"
Pilots do not do this deliberately. There are always mitigating circumstances.
The "Potential" paranoia stems from the extensive investment in SMS, Risk awareness etc that can sometimes get in the way of reality.
The "Potential" for Bird Strike, Blade failure, bolt failure, engine failure.....etc...etc, we live with each and every day.
SMS and the subsequent investigation processes only add value when the objective is to determine why it happened and how to stop it happening again. None of that involves disciplining the crew.
In my experience., majority of these incidents stem from an initial "mindset" that has, for a number of reasons, detached from the plan.
However, over eager management with no operational experience will never really understand these circumstances. That's why in the old days we had a fat old CP, (see-it-done-it) sitting as judge and jury and not a panel of "Experts". Sometimes progress....just isn't"
More than likely that Old Bird had himself fetched up on the wrong landing site sometime in his past and understood how it can happen.
He might also bestow the "Royal Order of the Yo Yo" upon the Captain and allow him to wear it until the next guy did something to relieve the current holder of the less than prestigious honor!
He might also bestow the "Royal Order of the Yo Yo" upon the Captain and allow him to wear it until the next guy did something to relieve the current holder of the less than prestigious honor!
In my time I got zapped for one " Wrong Deck Landing".
End of day round robin to 4 rigs.
Near departure time dispatch called and added a pick up of a crew at a "unmanned platform" and drop them off on the FPSO.
Standing in OPS with my Co-Capt at my side I repeated the new destination ID 3 times (Lets call it JB404) ...they comfirmed.
We modified our FP and called dispatch back and repeated our route. They confirmed.
We thrashed off to destination 1. Sitting on the deck I requested from the controlling FPSO landing clearance at JB404 which was 3 miles away. They cleared us to land. We departed, called final and landed on JB404.
Landed on JB404 .....nobody there. Called the FPSO and informed them ...after a very long pause they replied that the crew was actually on GB 604 20 miles away.
Fuel not being a problem we requested TO clearance and proceeded to 604 picked up the crew and dropped them on the FPSO.
When we got back I filed a report as an "incorrect deck landing" a problem with routing leading to landing on a platform to which you have been cleared to land VS a "wrong deck landing" on a platform to which you do not have a clearance.
Nope ....dispatch insisted that they had done nothing wrong, always told us the correct platform and that we had done a wrong deck landing.
So even though we had clearance to land ...we got zapped for a wrong deck landing.
After that I always insisted in a hard copy of the routing.
As I was the designated Capt. that day my good friend, and co-Capt that day...had many a good laugh over beers as he told the story of the "Lost Albatross."
212man may remember this little incident.
End of day round robin to 4 rigs.
Near departure time dispatch called and added a pick up of a crew at a "unmanned platform" and drop them off on the FPSO.
Standing in OPS with my Co-Capt at my side I repeated the new destination ID 3 times (Lets call it JB404) ...they comfirmed.
We modified our FP and called dispatch back and repeated our route. They confirmed.
We thrashed off to destination 1. Sitting on the deck I requested from the controlling FPSO landing clearance at JB404 which was 3 miles away. They cleared us to land. We departed, called final and landed on JB404.
Landed on JB404 .....nobody there. Called the FPSO and informed them ...after a very long pause they replied that the crew was actually on GB 604 20 miles away.
Fuel not being a problem we requested TO clearance and proceeded to 604 picked up the crew and dropped them on the FPSO.
When we got back I filed a report as an "incorrect deck landing" a problem with routing leading to landing on a platform to which you have been cleared to land VS a "wrong deck landing" on a platform to which you do not have a clearance.
Nope ....dispatch insisted that they had done nothing wrong, always told us the correct platform and that we had done a wrong deck landing.
So even though we had clearance to land ...we got zapped for a wrong deck landing.
After that I always insisted in a hard copy of the routing.
As I was the designated Capt. that day my good friend, and co-Capt that day...had many a good laugh over beers as he told the story of the "Lost Albatross."
212man may remember this little incident.
Last edited by albatross; 5th Apr 2019 at 14:58.
There is tha classic story of "our two heros" operating in the Persian Gulf who landed on a wrong rig.
Nobody on deck but no sweat ...ops normal PG.
OTH shut down and proceed to the dining room. Everyone is friendly. The lamb was great.
1/2 way through lunch the co-pilot says the the Capt. "Why is there a picture of Sean Connery in the great movie "The Wind and the Lion" on the wall?
Capt. looks and says, very quietly, "That is not Sean Connery and we are on an Iranian rig!"
Capt asks for a deck crew and they depart.
Stangely enough the rig they had been cleared to land on never reported the non-arrival of the helicopter.
Much laughter and a great story.
Nobody on deck but no sweat ...ops normal PG.
OTH shut down and proceed to the dining room. Everyone is friendly. The lamb was great.
1/2 way through lunch the co-pilot says the the Capt. "Why is there a picture of Sean Connery in the great movie "The Wind and the Lion" on the wall?
Capt. looks and says, very quietly, "That is not Sean Connery and we are on an Iranian rig!"
Capt asks for a deck crew and they depart.
Stangely enough the rig they had been cleared to land on never reported the non-arrival of the helicopter.
Much laughter and a great story.
212man may remember this little incident.
If 212man spent any time at all in Eket, Nigeria......he has done the "Ubit Shuffle"....and probably hit one of the wrong Ubit's at least once!
Sorry 212man
Just trying to keep the location/nation anonymous...hence the fictionally named unmanned platforms.
Always enjoyed working with you and the great group.
Fun daze!
Cheers and all the best.
Just trying to keep the location/nation anonymous...hence the fictionally named unmanned platforms.
Always enjoyed working with you and the great group.
Fun daze!
Cheers and all the best.
I have only been out to GOM once but I must say that the number of locations is mind-boggling by NS standards, so I can see where helonorth and SASless are coming from.
he1iaviator mentions AIS and I must say that I am somewhat surprised that this is not already the goto system for destination ID. Sure, there are problems with AIS data being corrupted or not updated occasionally but surely you just put in the contract that the rig should have up-to-date AIS.
he1iaviator mentions AIS and I must say that I am somewhat surprised that this is not already the goto system for destination ID. Sure, there are problems with AIS data being corrupted or not updated occasionally but surely you just put in the contract that the rig should have up-to-date AIS.
