CHC logs AW189 offshore familiarisation flights with Aker BP

CHC crews completed AW189 offshore familiarisation flights to Aker BP’s North Sea installations this week.

CHC Helicopter has completed what it describes as “another key milestone” in its programme with Norwegian oil giant Aker BP to introduce the super-medium AW189 into Norway. Crews completed offshore familiarisation flights to installations across Aker BP’s portfolio this week.

The flights, conducted hundreds of miles offshore, were designed to ensure helideck teams across all host installations are prepared to receive AW189 helicopters safely and efficiently as part of the progress towards operational readiness. Flights included missions to the Aker BP‑operated Edvard Grieg platform and Noble Corporation’s Noble Invincible and Odfjell Drilling’s Deepsea Stavanger, both working on Aker BP‑operated fields.

“Bringing a new helicopter into service is a complex undertaking and the close collaboration between CHC and Aker BP has been essential to delivering each milestone safely,” said the operator. “By combining CHC’s global AW189 experience with the deep operational expertise of our Norwegian crews, we are building a service that will provide greater flexibility and extended reach for Aker BP’s offshore operations.”

Each step brings the partners closer to launching safe, reliable AW189 crew‑change services in Norway, said the operator.

Responding on the social networking platform LinkedIn, Darryl Heffline, author of Shifting Gears in the Crossroads, wrote: “Introducing the AW189 into Norway feels like a strategic move for range and flexibility, especially given the distances involved in North Sea operations.”