How to get Australian helicopter in and back out of Iran
 

Looking for info I need help
Im Australian my business has a contract in Iran , I wish to take my helicopter with me .Who do I have to get in contact with ? And has anybody any experience with the Iranian equivalent of casa .

Bristow Helicopters - they have experience in this and will tell you all about it - eh Sasless? :-)

if I were you I'd spend a lot of time and money investigating export controls for getting parts in and treasury restrictions on paying for parts before I took a helicopter anywhere near Iran. There is a reason none of the major helicopter operators have gone in there recently, despite Iran being unfrozen 15 months ago.

If you are utterly desperate, try Heli Holland in The Netherlands, they can probably advise you.

I'm keen . What do I need to know

A good place to start would be by reading 'Whirlwind' by James Clavell. A fairly accurate (or so I'm told) account of how Bristow managed to get their helicopters out of Iran after the maniacs took over the asylum in the late 1970's.

Some history.

Bristow Helicopters Ltd. Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Bristow Helicopters Ltd.

First:

Be very careful with your "business contacts" in Iran...
Those guys have been agressively advertising on Linkedin and other social media, trying to "buy" AOC´s all over the world to start commercial aviation in Iran itself......none of them have experience or the money (we did some quick research on this, as we were interested ourselves)...the money is just not there.....or too many open hands waiting for "bakshish"....

I'd avoid for at least the term of the current US President. Way too unpredictable even now. I would be very surprised if your insurers would cover you taking it there. I suspect the door recently opened will slam shut again with not much warning. :uhoh:

Non Driver says it right. Especially if it's not essential to have it.

I had already winkled out a posting to the North Sea when Operation Sandstorm took place. The true account of how it all happened and how close some were to not making it out makes for an interesting evening at the Pub!

The old days of Bristow were very much different since the Old Man sold it off and went on to other pursuits. He and the early management were pioneers and folks who definitely thought outside the box.

Going into business in any country in that part of the World requires some serious due diligence and soul searching (IMHO).

Perhaps the lure of riches might be clouding one's perspective if you think lucrative and exotic.....and not fraught with much risk of all sorts.

Same goes for West Africa and the old Gold Coast.

Add in the ups and downs in the Oil Patch and its related Helicopter utilization....and you can begin to understand why companies like the current Bristow, CHC, and others are having such a hard go of things nowadays.

I'm not sure that I understand the original question. Are you importing a helicopter into Iran to perform a commercial operation, or is this a private helicopter that you wish to fly privately in Iran?

If 10% or more of your helicopter is US made, you will need an OFAC license to export it (even temporarily) to Iran. There's a general license (J-1) for fixed wing aircraft, but can't see an equivalent for helicopters.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-ce...ages/iran.aspx

I don't have any information regarding the import side, sorry.

Personally, I wouldn't touch this with a bargepole. Schreiner Airways also had some bitter experiences there, and they didn't all get out, back in the day.

Contact Wild Dog Helicopters in South Africa, they did some survey work there a few years back using AS350B3's.

You could try breaking it down into its constituent components and posting it back bit by bit ?

Importing to do a commercial operation that will take 2-3 months

Insure to the hilt, build caveats into the contract to cover any political change in the status quo, charge accordingly and get paid in advance.

Or walk away.

IE be prepared to leave the machines behind at any stage and still survive financially.

Same again,
Don't bother reading 'Whirlwind'; it bears little or no resemblance to operation Sandstorm despite Clavell having interviewed many of the people involved. The best account is in Alan Bristow's 'autobiography'.