Perhaps the manufacturers and clients could ask the operators why they keep operating the aircraft outside of the approved flight envelope........that is to say landing with tailwinds when not prescribed in flight manual

£29m CHC Contract
 

Exactly where is it forbidden, prohibited, or otherwise proscribed to make a "Down Wind Landing"?

After Julie answers that question first.....then we can go from there!

In most flight manuals, a tailwind component is not permitted within a Category A procedure.

ICAO makes clear that it can be used when permitted by the Flight Manual but a significant safety factor should be applied - i.e. not less than 150% of any reported tail wind component.

It has to be really unusual circumstances for tailwind components to be accepted when operating to/from an offshore installation.

Hence the fatal consequences following an engine failure in an offshore departure in Myanmar.

Jim

Thus Jim....as I read your carefully worded response....there is no absolute prohibition.

Hmmm, interesting. Is that all SNS Centrica flights or all SNS CHC flights from Denes?

Just Centrica flights :rolleyes:

Not unless you want to get the sack from your offshore job.

(Well most offshore jobs outside of GOM).

I expect Julie's comment relates to offshore ops ......more and more of the NS contracts appear to stipulate PC1 for the onshore atleast - and there are no tailwind component figures in the manual in the PC1/2 section that I can see so so can't see how you can do it operating to PC1 onshore .......

Shake-up in Bristow
 

Bristow has just lost some key players in its Q & S organisation. Colin Cheesewright, who had only been in the post of Global Engineering Standards Manager is leaving to join Conoco-Philips and now it has been announced that Jonathan Stripling, Global Director Quality, Safety and Standards and Grant Ireland, Global Manager Quality and Safety already left 5 days ago :suspect::eek:. Rumor has it that Stripling and Ireland are going to join Bristow former Vice President Operations, Richard Burman, who is now a director of Avincis Group, the new owner of Bond Helicopters and the INAER group. This now leaves the Q&S department in Bristow in tatters as they still have no confirmed Q&S Managers in either Europe or Africa. Tim Rolfe, the Global Training Standards manager is the interim Director of Quality, Safety and Standards and is an exceptionally capable person, head and shoulders above his predecessor, but whether he will be offered (or accept) what appears to be a poisoned chalice is open to question. He is undoubtedly capable of filling the post he now occupies, but with so many of his support staff going or gone it will be a very difficult decision for him as to whether he steps up to the new mark. He can only do it if he is given a free hand to appoint new key players into the Q&S and Global Standards roles now vacant as soon as possible. With so much going on in all its theatres of operation, Bristow faces some tough challenges to get respected, qualified and willing people into these key positions as soon as possible to prevent predators like Burman with so many insights into Bristow operations poaching more key staff and undermining the Bristow quality, safety and standards organisation. Of course, all of this depends on Burman's own standing and those joining him in the IOC community.

There are interesting times ahead as newly emerging companies and alliances seek to take on the old established order.

Keke Napep - Surely Bristow can always recruit more quality/safety managers if they need?

Meanwhile, away from the North Sea -

Eurocopter Delivers 3 Helicopters to O&G Companies in Asia| Offshore Energy Today

*Its been said that the 225 doesn't suffer the same problems found in the North Sea when operating in warmer temperatures. ;)

KN,

Knowing one of the Departed from his time as a Greenie....if the Peter Principle is valid....he has finally found his level of total incompetence.....which only tends to confirm my suspicions about HSE Programs.

I can think of one old time Bristow Engineer who has gone on to become a very capable and experienced Quality/Safety Professional who would be a very good match for any of the vacancies and who is well known in the Aberdeen area and International circles.

I would strongly recommend him for any position within that part of the Bristow Management Structure as I know him to be very capable, affable, and a very nice guy in all regards.

Out of interest - what is the average number of total crew on board a typical North Sea oil rig?

2 crew and 19 passengers, The figure is 19 because if you have 20 you will require a cabin attendant.

Thanks again FED. Does anyone know roughly how many people work on an oil rig eg. how many shuttles do you need to do in order to change an entire crew?

Depends how big the rig is. A drilling rig would have between 40 and 60. Platforms are larger and are nailed to the sea bed. They vary between 80 and 160 though in busy times with a heavy maintenance program they can go to 200 plus.
A medium sized platform would generally have one changeover aircraft every weekday. The personnel are on 2 weeks on, 2weeks off so they changeover every fortnight.

19 out and 19 back X 5 days X 2 weeks equals 190 each way. Not always full so generally a bit less.

I don't think Cambodia was in the Rotordyne market. Third world countries used all sorts of aviation pictures for their air mail stamps. The same with banknotes. Before 1980 China used notes for every denomination and the 1 fen note, about 1.5 inches X 1 inch had a picture of a Russian copy of the Douglas DC3 on it.

The drilling unit that I am sat on is currently at its max POB of 120, which is typical of a NS semi-sub, while jack-ups tend to run to 100-110 in my experience. The platform next door has currently 60 bods onboard, and is maxed-out, but there are both larger and smaller platforms about, so it is difficult to put an accurate figure on it. Oh, and there are numerous variations of crewchange routine too, including 3 on, 3 off, 2-2, 2-2 followed by 2-4, plus you have those service hands who only pop out for a short visit.

Not quite so simple.

FED - thanks for taking the time to explain this, really appreciated.

I suppose if all the departments on each of the rigs/platforms coordinated their rotas they could use a bigger helicopter and costs could come down or the bigger helicopter could visit more than one rig?

I suppose this is being looked at all the time by the operators and manufacturers its just that one thinks that all the effort that goes into designing and building a 20 seat helicopter can probably be just as easily done for a 30 seat one?