Helicopter operator CHC ends H225 use from Aberdeen base
 

Hi all,

Helicopter operator CHC has said it will no longer fly Super Puma H225s from its Aberdeen base unless customers specifically want them.

More here Helicopter operator CHC ends H225 use from Aberdeen base - BBC News

Fats

Given the EC225 is already grounded by EASA, that's basically saying that they will not reintroduce the EC225 after the grounding is lifted in due course. The company had already stopped EC225 flights globally (see statement) when only UK and Norwegian CAAs grounded it and before EASA did. CHC were thus including the 8 they have in Australia along with the 9 in UK, and 13 in Norway - a total fleet of 30 EC225s.

We are half way through the 60 day period over which they are going to hand back 90 helicopters to lessors by 10th July approx, which they expected to include 20 EC225s.

There is a possibility that today's BBC report is a strategic move as part of the fleet reduction to open up the way to hand back more/all EC225s and keep more S92s to ensure they can continue to service their existing contracts.

The idea of "Chapter 11" is to emerge back out of it profitably in the future, of course.

I thought CHC Scotia were not part of the Chapter 11 filing - in which case why would they be able to hand back aircraft on CHC Scotia's 'books' without penalty?

I'm glad I am just a stick monkey!

and they can sell the 225s they still own, oh sorry, my mistake.

The customers, specifically the sentient humans abaft the flight deck, most specifically do not want them.

It is, perhaps, regrettable that there is no equivalent of the floating Czech to rescue the type from oblivion in the North Sea, if only momentarily. He wasn't successful in that regard. Nobody else would be. Nobody else can be.

It's over. Move on.

Won't have any pilots to fly them anyway, as evidently 22 EC225 pilots given notice of redundancy yesterday.

Just until an S92 goes "splat".. Then what?
And it does not have to be an a/c problem either, CFIT or loss of control like Sumburgh will do it.
But I'm sure CHC will benefit from dropping a model they can't operate from their inventory while appeasing the passengers and oil companies. Makes business sense.