Eric - I think you're right. Not sure of what was happening on the Dutch side at that point - The merged company "Schreiner Northsea" operated for a few months in both Norwich and Den Helder before the contract was pulled in early spring 1998.

It was a bit of a reverse takeover as you described - the name was Schreiner but the ops and infrastructure seemed to move across to the KLM model, presumably as you say, to give the infrastructure that it was thought the Oil co's wanted.

Not happy times and i take no satisfaction from the fact that Bristow's crews now find themselves in the same situation.

OH

christianty11
 

I think you'll find that Epiphany was being sarcastic. If so, he has no clue what he's talking about.

Fact of the matter is, that when Dancopter was in Den Helder for a year, they were already sure that they would nick the contract from Bristow. This unfortunately didn't happen, because Bristow beat them on KPI's, which was set up by Shell to see who performed better.

Bristow didn't keep Shell because of two reasons:

1. They didn't want to give into Shell and their ridiculous demands any more.

2. Some autonomous person high up in the chain of Shell has had a hard on for the Danes ever since they flew with them in Den Helder. Dancopter seemed to perform so well compared to Bristow... Better payloads, went when Bristow didn't, etc. They only failed to overlook the fact why Dancopter seemed to perform better, which was because Dancopter used unfair competition. Meaning, using destination minima as alternate minima, having half the final reserve fuel, not having the same crash-worthy fuel tanks (Shell requirement), thus lighter = more payload and also having a different interpretation on "flying in known icing conditions".

So back to school Epiphany! ;)

I wasn't being sarcastic. That is what I was told by Bristow Management. As you stated Bristow won the contract on KPI's so Dancopter obviously did not perform as well as Bristow. Bristow don't need Shell anyway, they will soon realise their grave mistake and come running back to Bristow with tail between legs begging forgiveness.

Epiphany
 

Oeps... I do apologize then! ;)

That would also explain why they have such a good social plan ready for their own. I heard they don't have to make anyone redundant! Go Bristow! :-)

Hi there, I'm a new fish on this good site. Im following the North Sea posts for a while now and have some questions, because I'm hoping one day to fly above the NS.

So what is the deal exactly ? Do Dancopter and NHV split the new contract ? And do they need to expand there fleet and need new personel on EHKD, or they just bringing in there own crew from Denmark/ Oostende ?

Well, no point in going after a contract if there is no money in it, and the client is to hard to get along with....


Going to be really interesting to see if Dancopter can make it on time, since they are still in Nigeria with their 3 ec155s, and starting on the new contract for Maersk oil and gas in the Danish sector with 3 new ec225 the first of July. Guess they must need a lot of new pilots (even some from Bristow) in den Helder and Norwich.

Maybe the Danes actually know how to operate a 155 and maybe they are doing it according to the rules?????
Crash-worthy tanks are not installed on any 155 flying commercial as per today. Those who claim they have their 155 fitted with such tanks, should have another look into their Flight Manual, that is if they know how and where to look:oh:
Why carry extra fuel if you don´t need it????;)

EC 155,

I politely suggest you cannot be so familiar with the aircraft as your name suggests. I also suggest you follow your own advice regarding flight manuals, before making inaccurate statements. Please refer back to my earlier post; http://www.pprune.org/7129904-post128.html

EC 155
 

Well, certainly the Dutch CAA didn't seem to agree with your point of view when they wissled Dancopter back for the way they operated.

I think you just confirmed my number 2 point champ. Indeed better read the FM.

Epiphany,
Are you really that naive to believe that Bristow didn't Even tender for the contract? If so ask the guys in Norwich/Den Helder what they have been hoping for for the past few months. Believe me, they definitely tendered for the contract!

Well I can only repeat what I heard from people in higher places then the crew room at Den Helder Macaco. Apparently Bristow and CHC will no longer consider tenders from the larger oil companies until they receive apologies for their outrageous behaviour. ;)

Perhaps a good opportunity for Bristow pilots to change uniforms and receive better treatment.

Apparently all but one of the Dancopter 155's will be leaving Nigeria soon.

I thought the old wisdom was you cant have too much fuel unless you are on fire?

Perhaps EC155 works for one of those operators who still have the quaint tradition of trying to keep the fare paying customer happy. It is always nice to carry extra fuel but sometimes it is just 'extra' and cancels out any flexibility.

If the crew calculate the IFR fuel required for the flight (which already contains extra for diversions, alternates and MAP etc) they pass weight X to the customer. Customer gives a manifest payload of Y which is 200kg below X. Crew decide to use that extra in fuel so refuel to new amount Z. Customer then decide they have a last minute addition of 2 extra pax. A/C now 200kg over MGW but they had originally told the customer that X was OK.

Some might tell the customer tough titty, others might attempt a defuel and miss the take-off time pissing off everyone. EC155 might just be able to say 'No problem', smile, do the flight safely and everyone is happy.

Maybe I actually might have use for my experience whenever I return back to Europe...

I'm thinking I must be in a different world to EC155 and Epiphany. In my '155' world, the payload is already more than can be carried with use of VFR weather and Coastal alleviation, but if I'm really lucky we come to an agreement on IFR days whereby we can just carry what we need after modifying the route three times and calculating everything to the kilo, but then finding the wind drops when offshore and due to PC2e restrictions it's time to re-plan yet again!

I think someone needs a reality transplant, but I'm not sure who:-)

On a day like the 9th May, a professional pilot would have been very happy to have a little extra fuel when offshore didn't bother to inform of fog at their end, and onshore forecasters failed to predict the same, with crews running rapidly out of options as a result...

I have the luxury of flying a modern helicopter so am not commenting specifically on the 155. If your job is so difficult maybe it is time for a change.

My point was that there are operators who compromise safety to satisfy the customer and the other end of the spectrum where operators resent the demands of the customer so become as inflexible as possible. I have seen both but also happily one or two who try to pursue the middle path.

What´s the latest on Shell´s operations in Norway, is Dancopter taking that over ?

And what about the talk that NHV has no Puma L2 to offer Wintershall because CHC and Bristow sit on them all and offered them so expensive it really wasn´t an option for NHV any more. Are there offshore equipped L2´s out there not belonging to the 2 big dragons available ?

Is the 155 that much older, or lower tech, than a 225? Again, one of us needs a reality check;)

Available power has nothing to do with design-age.

Well lets just say that the types I am familiar with often have excess available payload on the routes that I fly. If your margins are that narrow in the mazda then you have my respect. ;)