At Heli-Expo 2007, held in Orlando in early March, Bristow Helicopters signed a new contract for three EC225s and eight options.

Interview with John Cloggie, Director of European Operations at Bristow Helicopters.

Why have Bristow Helicopters once again chosen the EC225?
John Cloggie: Since we chose the Super Puma AS332 L back in the 80s, the EC225 is obviously the natural choice in the Super Puma family line.
We plan to use it for our North Sea operations, where it will guarantee access to the more distant platforms in the Northern North Sea. This helicopter offers us an increased payload combined with a greater operating range. Maintenance, especially spare parts, will be facilitated by the fact that the aircraft has all the signature Super Puma family features. It’s really important for us to be able to deliver consistent availability for our customers. The four EC225s we have been operating since late 2005 have already logged over 8,000 flying hours. Eurocopter made a smart move in prioritizing our requirements – such efficient support from the EC225 Programme Management Team ensured a very smooth entry into service.

What changes have you noticed in your relationship with Eurocopter?
J. C.: Customer consideration between us and Eurocopter has been completely transformed. Nowadays the sale of the helicopter is only the first stage of the customer relationship. We rely on manufacturer support throughout the service life of the helicopter to meet the needs of our customers so we particularly appreciate this change in attitude.

What is your development strategy at Bristow Helicopters?
J. C.: Our objective is to double the size of our business within five years. This is a real challenge, and we are progressively introducing EC155s and EC225s – the latter replacing the Super Puma AS332s – to make sure we meet this aggressive challenge. We also count on winning over new markets such as South East Asia, where we also plan to roll out the new EC225s. To meet this growth, we will train pilots and mechanics on our fleet of approximately 50 helicopters at the newly-acquired Bristow Training Academy in Florida.
We need up to seven pilots and five engineers to support one large helicopter, and envisage recruiting several hundred pilots and engineers over the next five to 10 years. To succeed, it is vital to maintain a strong relationship with the helicopter manufacturer. Eurocopter is dedicated to working with us as partners, satisfying our every need, so we’re feeling confident.