EC225
AFTER TAMING THE NORTH SEA… IT SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE UNITED STATES
For big platforms often located in hostile environments or far from the shore, Eurocopter proposes the EC225. Since September 2005, the latest member of the Super Puma family has been flown in the North Sea by its launch customer, Bristow Helicopters. By mid-May, Bristow’s two EC225s had notched up more than 1,700 flight hours. The aircraft’s speed, reliability, flying qualities, and large cabin (up to 19 passengers) are the features that have stood out most for Bristow just a few months after its entry into service.
Already convinced, Bristow Helicopters have ordered four extra EC225s, which will be delivered at the end of the year. The operator CHC Scotia (subsidiary of the group CHC Helicopter Corporation) has also chosen the EC225 for its oil operations in the North Sea. Furthermore, yet another company, Era Helicopters based in Louisiana, in the United States, ordered 4 EC225 (see article on page 25). Era Helicopters is the first US operator to select the EC225 for oil work.
The reasons behind the success of the EC225 are its leading-edge technology and the world renown of the Super Puma family, which is also internationally acclaimed in this sector where the requirements are stringent, notably in terms of safety. Eurocopter is constantly working to improve safety and to meet the requirements of its customers.
EC155 and AS365 N3
DAUPHIN FAMILY: ONGOING FAVORITES WITH OIL OPERATORS
For medium-sized platforms, nearer to land,
Eurocopter’s customers turn to the Dauphin
family. Speed and performance are the key words
used to describe the AS365 N3 Dauphin and the
EC155, which can carry up to 12 passengers. Shell
Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, the
launch customer for the EC155 in the oil sector,
operates a fleet of six EC155s, which had clocked
up 20,000 flight hours by the end of 2005. This
performance is even more remarkable given the
harsh tropical environment in which the customer
operates. To date, approximately 20 EC155s in
service throughout the world have flown more
than 40,000 hours. In 2005, eight EC155s and
eleven AS365 N3s were ordered for oil support
missions.
EC135 and EC145
UNBEATABLE OPERATING COSTS
To transport passengers to smaller oil
platforms nearer the coast, or close to each
other, the Eurocopter offer is based on the
EC135 and EC145. Their low operating costs,
twinned with guaranteed comfort and
performance, make these helicopters the
privileged partners of the oil companies.
The EC135 and EC145 have also made a very
successful debut in the Gulf of Mexico, where
the Mexican company Transportes Aéreos
Pegaso (see article on page 26) uses them
to transport passengers to oil platforms
30 to 40 miles from the coast.
The EC145 is just beginning its career in the
oil industry, whereas the EC135 has already
won over operators in this sector:
six companies selected the EC135 in 2005
ordering 26 aircraft.
