North Sea Jigsaw
 

Aberdeen P & J announces that Bristow have won the bp contract to supply a SuperPuma for an extended SAR trial in the N Sea. What do you all think will be the minimum exp level for a capt for this 24/7 contract when/if it goes to 4 offshore based machines. What should they be paid and what roster would you work. :)

I wouldn't work 15 days on 13 off but would consider 8 on 6 off but pay would have to be around £100,000 to make me put up with the boredom of being on standby with only routine training to look forward to. It is no fun living on a rig, so as there aren't many night qualified SAR Capts about who would want this job the pay should be high as market forces kick in.
Ally

And having decided how much we're going to trouser.... maybe some congratulations are in order to BHL for winning the contractin the first place? Hmmmm?

Jigsaw
 

I know the contract has been awarded for the trial, but is there any other news?

Yes, the guy running it dropped himself in the s**t with BP by suggesting that the project could or would (? it's that memory thing again) run on into full implementation.
Needless to say, much BP backpeddling was done, as their offshore unions are already at 30,000 feet in a vertical climb over this one.

JIGSAW bp's SAR Helios
 

Anybody got any news on how the JIGSAW trial is progressing in the N Sea?

An interested 2STROPS;)

I can tell you it hasn't started yet.

The aircraft (Mk II Super Puma) is currently down at Bristow HQ in Redhill being fitted with FLIR, Nightsun, SkyShout, winches and allsorts of other expensive toys, not to mention a nice snazzy paint scheme.

Should be up in Aberdeen in November for the crews to play with and provide a few demonstrations and then goes offshore for the real work in February I think.

Bp Sar Jigsaw
 

Saw G-JSAR flying in Aberdeen this week. When and where are the offshore trials going to take place. How many crews are involved?

HF
(a could be interested party:) )

It is very quiet. Is there no information to be had on what could be an operation that could employ 50-60 pilots?

AP:confused:

Oh all right then.... The trial has already started and there are 5.5 pilots and about the same number of rear crew involved. Hopefully it will lead on to great things but at the moment, who knows? - that is why there is a trial!

With that paint job is the fence by the top hanger shoulder-to-shoulder with reggie spotters?

For those who don't know what it looks like a picture is available at http://www.airliners.net/open.file/307211/M/ .

TMP - ta

Who is specifying the objectives of the trial (ie BP, UKOOA or HSE) and does anyone know who is the Trial Manager (are they BP, Bristow etc)?

I've heard bits about the trial from crews, and the impression I get is that BP is managing it, and they are currently figuring out the objectives! :p ;)

bp has announced the sale of the 40s to Apache. This means that bp has sold 7 N Sea rigs in the last few months with more to follow so there may soon be no rigs left for Jigsaw a/c to be based on.:(

HF

Flight Ad
 

Seems a bit late to be looking for objectives. I wonder how close to the rigs they are going to try to demo rescues.

HF - Does cast the super-positive BOH ad in this week's Flight (stating they will start sponsoring pilot & LAE training for their BP contract) in an interesting light. Will they really need all 6 L2s for their BP crew change contract?

Hi Zalt

The policy of bp at the moment is to sell off the older or less productive fields in the N Sea. So far the 5 40s rigs, Montrose and Arbroath have been sold. This equates to a requirement of 1.5 Pumas per day. If Bond do not win the contract to support these rigs then they are down to 4.5 pumas not 6. There are also very strong rumours that this is just the beginning of the process so in the end the bp-Bond contract could be just for the west of Shetland rigs or 1.5>2 pumas a day.

A year is a long time in the N Sea so we may or may not see Bond at Aberdeen

332M

Jigsaw
 

I'm leaving the RAF in the near future (with ATPLH) having done 10 years SAR on the Seaking. Does anybody know the requirements for employment on JIGSAW or who to contact for details.

Ta

2S

So far, it is only a trial. Should there be a requirement in the future, it probably will have to go out for tender under EU rules, so who knows which operator will get it..

Good luck anyway

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.