Bond Offshore Helicopters
Encyclopedia
Bond Offshore Helicopters is a British Helicopter operator, specialising in providing offshore helicopter transportation services between Aberdeen
, Scotland and several North Sea
Oil platforms. They are a subsidiary of the Bond Aviation Group
.
, who provide specialist helicopter transportation services to Police
/Air Ambulance
and other public services.
The company also provides VIP charter services, and in the past has flown Tony Blair
, Razorlight
and Supergrass
to various locations.
The company also has two search and rescue
aircraft as part of a BP
contract called "jigsaw" that provide emergency support to offshore oil drilling operations. These are currently based in Sumburgh
, Shetland and the Miller platform.
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland and several North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
Oil platforms. They are a subsidiary of the Bond Aviation Group
Bond Aviation Group
Bond Aviation Group is a large British helicopter operator based at Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton. It incorporates Bond Air Services and Bond Offshore Helicopters...
.
History
Bond Offshore Helicopters started trading in 2004 as a sister company to the already successful Bond Air ServicesBond Air Services
Bond Air Services, part of Bond Aviation Group, are the largest operators of Air Ambulance and Police aviation units in the UK . Using mainly Eurocopter EC-135 and Bolkow BO-105 helicopters, they operate from 17 bases around the UK and have 2 headquarters, Staverton and Glasgow.Bond is headquarters...
, who provide specialist helicopter transportation services to Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
/Air Ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
and other public services.
The company also provides VIP charter services, and in the past has flown Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, Razorlight
Razorlight
Razorlight are a UK based indie rock band formed in 2002. They are primarily known in the UK, having topped the charts with the 2006 single "America" and its parent self-titled album, their second...
and Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
to various locations.
The company also has two search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
aircraft as part of a BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
contract called "jigsaw" that provide emergency support to offshore oil drilling operations. These are currently based in Sumburgh
Sumburgh Airport
-Other tenants:*Maritime and Coastguard Agency *Bristow Helicopters*Bond Helicopters -Incidents and accidents:...
, Shetland and the Miller platform.
Fleet
| Aircraft | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eurocopter EC225 | 4 | |
| Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma Mk2 | 6 | 2 in Search and Rescue configuration |
| Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin Eurocopter Dauphin The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:... |
4 | |
| AgustaWestland AW139 AgustaWestland AW139 The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project... |
2 | |
| Total Number of Aircraft | 16 |
Accidents and incidents
- 18 February 2009 - G-REDU, a Bond Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma ditched in the North Sea 500 metres from its destination, a BPBPBP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
oil platform. All 18 aboard were rescued. - 1 April 2009 - G-REDL, a Eurocopter AS332 L2 Super Puma Mk 2, returning from the Miller oilfieldMiller oilfieldThe Miller oilfield is a deep reservoir under the North Sea, 240 kilometres northeast of Peterhead in UKCS Blocks 16/7b and 16/8b. It was discovered in 1982 by BP in a water depth of 100 metres. Production from Miller field started in June 1992, and plateau production was from late 1992 to 1997 at...
went down in the North Sea, 40 miles northeast of Aberdeen, killing all sixteen on board. Preliminary cause was attributed to a catastrophic failure in the main gearbox.