Why don't you contact the Human Resources Department of Bristow at Aberdeen?

They should be able to give you some info as to what sort of people they will be looking for should the Project be successful and go forward to a full contract.

BHPS

Bp SAR JIGSAW
 

I was down on ETAP (N Sea) the other day and the deck crew were convinced that a JIGSAW SAR helicopter was to be based there. They had been told that their office was to be converted to a standby room with bunks etc. Does anybody have any further info on how the trial/contract is proceeding.

HF

An interested party;)

What are Bristows required minima for F/O's on JIGSAW and HMCG contracts does anyone know?

Hedski

Why don't you contact the Human Resources Department at Bristow Helicopters at Aberdeen (+44 1224 723151) and ask them? They should be able to give you all the information.

You could also try the HR Department of CHC-Scotia at Aberdeen (+44 1224 846000) who may be able to give you details of the SAR requirements for CHC-Ireland.

JKnife

Come on you Bristow peeps don't be shy!! Somebody must be able to give an update without breaking the official secrets act.

HF:D

HF

Surely the question you ask should go to BP? They will decide where the SAR assets will go if they decide to go ahead with Jigsaw.

JKnife

I have heard, from an unconfirmed source, that the whole jigsaw thing has been canned - any info would be gratefully received.

Hummingforties

The latest rumour from Bristows is that the Jigsaw machine has a contract in Den Helder when the Jigsaw trial is complete.

T

Hello Mr T

Now we are part of Apache our bp intel is not so good!! Rumour is that Shell are showing an interest in Jigsaw but this is a low level rumour - one meeting in Abn. Hoped someone from Bristow may have had some harder news!!

How is life amongst the sheep "F" passed on your rumour about Denmark.

Regards

HF et al:D

HF

Courtesy of this weeks Flight International (15-21 July 2003)

OFFSHORE TRIAL

UK offshore oil crew transport company Bristow Helicopters is set to complete the BP-funded Project Jigsaw trial for airborne search and rescue (SAR) service for North Sea oil rigs ahead of schedule. The Aberdeen, UK-based company is confident of being awarded the subsequent contract, which has cleared local opposition by retaining rather than replacing emergency boats. Bristow was awarded the £15 million ($22 million) contract in September 2001 and deployed a modified Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma in December last year (Flight International, 11-17 September 2001).

JKnife

A company I know was asked if they wanted to buy the aircraft, G-JSAW recently.

Rumour has it that it may be for sale if the whole project doesn't go ahead. Full autohover, dual hoist, probably the highest specced 332L2 out there.

LE

OK Folks,

Does anyone know when the Jigsaw trial is expected to finish?

'HF' so you are not 'F' then?

The thick plottens.

T

Crab@SAAvn... slightly different arena I know but what's the military grapevine saying on civil SAR at Mount Pleasant instead of 78 Sqn?

There are rumours around of possibility of permanent jobs there soon for ex-mil Seaking crews.


My God!--- you'd have to be desperate!

Or the money would have to be effing good!

Does anyone know what's happening with Jigsaw...someone told me that SARTU had been approached to train the rearcrew....but nothing's been said about front-enders..or that there will be only 6 cabs in total....any news?

Slightly off topic but I heard recently that one or two senior Jigsaw people have become the first North Sea pilots to gross £100k [by the time offshore allowances etc etc are taken into account]. This was from, shall we say, someone who should know....

Just thought I'd plop this back to the top

Bertie - the same suggestions are made every couple of years or so regarding civilianisation of 78 Sqn - the S61s could take the SAR role and a contractor could provide the heavy lift for the times when it is needed.
However, since it is our only deployed SAR asset and the whole military SAR empire is under financial scrutiny from MOD (it doesn't do a whole lot of military stuff despite being a vital part of the nation's obligation to honour the Chicago Convention in providing SAR facilities for shipping and aviation), to hand it over in the current political climate would be less than wise.
Once the future of SAR helicopter provision in UK is clarified, since you currently have 3 service providers - the RAF, RN and HMCG using Bristows, where probably one would suffice, then maybe it will be handed over.

In line with Twisted Rigging's suggestion in July, G-JSAR has started a contract at based onshore at Dan Helder today (see headlines at http://www.bristowhelicopters.com/). Its a five-year contract, with two one-year extension options, awarded by a group of eight Dutch oil and gas companies (including BP Nederland). Apparently a review of the safety cases has shown that the Dutch military SAR capability is adequate.

Zalt,
you probably meant to write "inadequate".
Funny to see how every country operates Sea Kings and the Dutch thought to get away with a Lynx. Cheap trick.
As far as I know these oil companies got a report that stated that an accident with something like a S61 or a Super Puma would mean that after a survivable accident everybody would perish due to the lack of adequate SAR cover. And they probably thought they were going to end up in court if it happened..

Still, commercial SAR opens up the market a bit more, perhaps it should become the standard? leave the combat SAR to the military but normal SAR to a commercial operator?

A contact tells me that OVN (the Independent Pilots Association NL) has been achieving results. The union put forward a strong case that the existing SAR capacity was inadequate and has persuaded the oil companies in NOGEPA to take action.

NAM/Shell have addressed the lack of radio cover over sea and are now installing new transmitters/receivers all over the North sea to guarantee full radio cover down to the deck.

In addition, the Dutch government has given a commitment that the ageing ssr-only radar at Den Helder will be replaced with a more powerful radar that has primary capability as well.

Discussions are continuing with the government, NOGEPA, ATC and other agencies to improve the working conditions of Dutch offshore pilots.
OVN is expected to produce an advice paper for the Minister of Transport in the next few weeks outlining what it has identified as the improvements necessary in the interest of flight safety.
eg The union argues that the ageing Dutch Navy Lynxes are too small and slow to do the job.

OVN is small union but, from what my contact tells me, it appears to be getting results.