Bristow Helicopters Ltd welcomes UK Search and Rescue contract - Award to deliver new aircraft and technology for UK SAR service -

Transcription

1 NATIONAL MEDIA RELEASE News release Issued: Tuesday, 26 March 2013 Bristow Helicopters Ltd welcomes UK Search and Rescue contract - Award to deliver new aircraft and technology for UK SAR service - Bristow Helicopters Ltd welcomes today s (Tuesday 26 March) announcement that it has been successful in its bid for delivery of UK Search and Rescue Helicopter services. The award of the UK SAR contract to Bristow Helicopters Ltd, which will come into effect in April 2015 and run until 2026, was announced today (Tuesday 26 March) by the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP. Operating from 10 strategically located bases across the UK, using technologically advanced helicopters, the new service will be delivered by experienced crews with world-class skills, trained, qualified and certified to coordinate and execute SAR operations. Bristow Helicopters Ltd will create approximately 350 new jobs to support the contract. A transition agreement with the Ministry of Defence will ensure continuity of service and experience for military personnel transferring to the new operator. Welcoming today s announcement, Mike Imlach, Bristow Helicopters Ltd s Managing Director, said: The award of this contract is a great success for Bristow Helicopters Ltd and a huge endorsement of our reputation for excellence in Search and Rescue. We are proud to be returning to our British heritage of providing world class SAR services in the UK. We will introduce new helicopters to the UK equipped with the latest Search and Rescue technology that will deliver unprecedented levels and quality of SAR coverage across the country. The existing expertise and local SAR knowledge is immensely valuable and we will ensure that this is not lost. Bristow Helicopters Ltd knows the responsibilities that go with providing this service and we are committed to working in full partnership with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and ensuring a smooth transition process and the long-term continued delivery of a world class SAR operation in the UK. Under the new contract, the company will operate from 10 bases across the UK, strategically located near areas of high SAR incident rates. New facilities will be established at Inverness, Manston, Prestwick, Caernarfon, Humberside, Newquay and St Athan. Existing facilities at Lee-on-Solent and Sumburgh will continue to be used, and the base at Stornoway will be refurbished. The base locations and equipment will allow the ability to immediately surge up to seven aircraft simultaneously to a single incident. 1

2 NATIONAL MEDIA RELEASE Bristow Helicopters Ltd s UK SAR fleet will comprise 22 specially commissioned helicopters the Sikorsky S-92 and the AgustaWestland AW189 fitted with state-of-the art SAR support technology. The aircraft have significantly improved capabilities to the SeaKing helicopters they will replace. The advanced technologies include night vision, mission management and increased on-board medical capabilities. Bristow Helicopters Ltd has a long history of providing SAR services in the UK, dating back to 1971, when Whirlwind helicopters were replaced by Bristow S55 helicopters at RAF Manston, in Kent, and continuing with the operation of S61 helicopters working at four SAR bases, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Lee-on-Solent and Portland, until In 2012 the company was awarded the UK Gap SAR contract for Northern Scotland and, working in partnership with the MCA, will operate four SAR helicopters from Sumburgh and Stornoway, starting this summer. In total Bristow Helicopters Ltd has flown more than 44,000 SAR operational hours in the UK and conducted over 15,000 SAR missions, during which more than 7,000 people have been rescued by the company s crews and helicopters. The company has led the industry in introducing new aircraft types and technology to the civil market. SAR equipment it has developed has become the industry standard, resulting in Bristow Helicopters Ltd being recognised with the Queen s Award for Innovation for its technical developments. Ends For further information please contact the Bristow Helicopters Ltd Communications Team on or Bristow@webershandwick.com Notes to Editors Bristow Search & Rescue: Bristow Helicopters Limited is affiliated with the global Bristow Group, which has almost 60 years of experience in providing helicopter services. It operates from facilities around the world in some of the most hostile of environments delivering search and rescue, helicopter transportation, and maintenance services to clients. Bristow s industry-leading aircrew and engineering training programs ensure that its clients receive the highest degree of flexibility and the safest, most experienced flight and maintenance crews available, ensuring confidence in flight, worldwide. Bristow currently delivers SAR operations in the UK (Gap SAR), the Netherlands, Norway, Trinidad, Russia, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Cyprus and the Dutch Antilles, as well as providing SAR training in Trinidad and Algeria. 2

3 NATIONAL MEDIA RELEASE For more information on Bristow Search and Rescue visit our SAR website About Bristow Helicopters Limited: Bristow Helicopters Ltd. is an affiliated company of Bristow Group Inc., the leading provider of helicopter services to the worldwide offshore energy industry based on the number of aircraft operated and one of two helicopter service providers to the offshore energy industry with global operations. The Company has major operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, and operations in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Canada and Trinidad. 3

4 BRISTOW NATIONAL FAST FACTS Bristow Helicopters Ltd UK Search and Rescue (SAR) National Fact Sheet About Bristow Helicopters Ltd Bristow Helicopters is an affiliated company of Bristow Group Inc. and has operated in the United Kingdom and Europe for more than 50 years. As of February 2013, we employ 840 staff across the UK. The anticipated UK SAR workforce will be 350 staff. Bristow Helicopters is currently one of the largest helicopter providers in the North Sea area with more than 50 aircraft servicing this region. Bristow Helicopters operates from four bases in the U.K., one base in Holland and three bases in Norway. In addition to our offshore energy helicopter services, we are a civil supplier of Search and Rescue ( SAR ) services to the Netherlands Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Association. Bristow Helicopters was recently awarded the contract to provide SAR services in the north of Scotland. Bristow Helicopters UK SAR Experience Bristow Helicopters has a long history of providing world-class Search and Rescue services in the UK, beginning in 1971 when Whirlwind helicopters were replaced by Bristow S-55 helicopters at RAF Manston in Kent and continuing with the operation of the S-61 SAR helicopters working at four SAR bases through until 2007 (Stornoway, Sumburgh, Lee-on-Solent and Portland). In the UK alone, Bristow Helicopters has completed more than 44,000 SAR operational hours and conducted 15,000+ SAR missions, during which more than 7,000 people have been rescued by Bristow crews. In 2012, Bristow Helicopters was awarded the UK Gap SAR contract for Northern Scotland. Operations will commence from Sumburgh on 1 st June 2013 and from Stornoway on 1st July Bristow is currently conducting three months of training operations for Gap SAR from Inverness Airport. Our sister company FB Heliservices provides all UK military helicopter pilot training through the Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) at bases in Shawbury, Middle Wallop and Valley. FB Heliservices also currently provides SAR training at Valley for UK military personnel. 1

5 BRISTOW NATIONAL FAST FACTS Bristow Helicopters SAR Related Awards In the past 40 years Bristow Helicopters crews have received 33 awards for 21 SAR missions, including six Chief Coastguard s Commendations, awarded for bravery or exceptionally meritorious service; two Coastguard Rescue Shields, and three Edward & Maisie Lewis Awards. In November 1997 we were presented with the Prince Phillip Helicopter Award for the rescue on the MV Green Lily. In 1993 the Queen s Commendation and the USA Crew of the Year were awarded to a Bristow crew for the MV Lunohods mission, in which 60 Russian seamen were rescued. Bristow rescued a record 32 survivors in one mission. In 2001 the MV Hansa rescue led to the award of the Queens Gallantry Medal to a Bristow Helicopter SAR winchman. Three other crewmen received the Queens Commendation for Bravery in the Air. In 2002 the Bristow Helicopters Stornoway crew flew the longest range civil SAR mission of 293 nautical miles to the MV Muska. This led to the Coastguard Commendation for Meritorious Service. Our pioneering technical developments in Search and Rescue saw Bristow Helicopters win the prestigious Queen s Award for Innovation in April The UK SAR contract The UK SAR contract will commence in April 2015 and run to In advance of this date, Bristow Helicopters will begin implementation of training and infrastructure developments in January Bristow Helicopters UK SAR Bases Advancements in aircraft and operational technology and Bristow Helicopter s choice of new base locations will provide an unprecedented level of SAR airlift, with the ability to surge up to seven aircraft simultaneously in the mainland UK to a single SAR incident. We will operate the UK SAR contract from 10 strategically located bases across the UK that are positioned closer to the SAR hotspots so that SAR resources can be brought to bear as quickly and efficiently as possible. 2

6 BRISTOW NATIONAL FAST FACTS These 10 SAR bases will be located at the following strategic locations: o Stornoway o Sumburgh o Inverness o Prestwick o Caernarfon o St Athan o Newquay o Lee-on-Solent o Manston o Humberside New facilities will be established at Inverness, Humberside, Caernarfon, Manston, Prestwick, Newquay and St. Athan. Bristow Helicopters will continue to operate out of the existing, purpose built MCA facilities at Lee-on-Solent and Sumburgh and the facilities at Stornoway will be refurbished. Our base locations and equipment will allow us the ability to immediately surge up to seven aircraft simultaneously to a single incident. The new technology and equipment that Bristow Helicopters will be using in all of the bases will be robustly tested before entering service, thus ensuring that all initial operating issues are smoothed out, and that the transition is fully de-risked. The following map illustrates the coverage that will be provided by the 10 strategically located UK SAR bases and the different helicopter types that will service them: 3

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8 BRISTOW NATIONAL FAST FACTS Bristow Helicopters UK SAR Fleet The fleet will comprise 22 helicopters, with two helicopters located at each of the ten UK SAR bases that will be operated by Bristow Helicopters and an additional model of each aircraft for training purposes. Bristow Helicopters will ensure that both aircraft at each base will be kept fully serviceable at all times. Additional aircraft from the wider Bristow fleet may be brought in if and when necessary. The two different types of helicopters that will comprise the Bristow Helicopter s UK SAR fleet will be: Sikorsky S-92 helicopters The S-92 helicopter is the most advanced aircraft in Sikorsky's civil product line, certified to the most stringent safety requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The S-92 helicopter's advanced health and usage monitoring system sets a new level of reliability and enables cutting-edge fleet management services. Air speed = 145 knots Radius of action = in excess of 250 nautical miles Operational range = in excess of 600 nautical miles Normal flight crew = 4 Capacity = 3 stretchers, 10 seated, additional persons AgustaWestland AW-189 helicopters The AW 189 is the latest helicopter to be produced and equipped by AgustaWestland to undertake SAR missions. It builds on AgustaWestland s heritage and expertise in Search and Rescue both in the UK and abroad. The AW 189 is the only new generation helicopter in its category and is designed to meet the latest and future long range, high endurance requirement for Search and Rescue missions in the most demanding operational, environmental and weather conditions. Air speed = 145 knots Radius of action = in excess of 200 nautical miles Operational range = in excess of 500 nautical miles Normal flight crew = 4 Capacity = 2 stretchers, 6 seated, additional persons Both the AW 189 and the S-92 aircraft will be equipped with a range of state-of-the-art SAR and safety technology, including: night vision, mission management and increased on-board medical capabilities. Ends 5

9 SPEC SHEET OF S-92

10 SPEC SHEET OF AW189