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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristow_Helicopters

Bristow Helicopters is a British helicopter airline originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, part of the Bristow Group based in Houston, Texas.

Bristow Helicopters Ltd holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, it is permitted to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 seats or more.

History

The company was formed in June 1953 when Alan Bristow changed the name of his company from Air Whaling Limited.

Bristow Helicopters was one of the early suppliers of offshore helicopter services in the United Kingdom, it is also a supplier of Search and Rescue services and of military helicopter pilot training support in the UK. Bristow is a JAA-approved Type Rating Training Organization and Flight Training Organization, holding CAA approvals numbered UK/TRTO - 34 and UK/FTO - 84. Bristow offers courses in JAA-Approved Type Rating, JAA-Approved Instrument Rating, JAA-Approved TRI/TRE, and the AS332 simulator.

In 1985 it was acquired by British and Commonwealth Holdings plc.

In 1996 Bristow Helicopters was purchased by Offshore Logistics, an American offshore helicopter operator. The group now operates and maintains a global fleet of over 400 aircraft. In 2006 Offshore Logistics re-branded itself as 'The Bristow Group'.

The Bristow Group expanded their portfolio in April 2007 with the purchase of Helicopter Adventures, a Florida based flight school, Helicopter Adventures was subsequently renamed 'The Bristow Academy'. The deal also provided the Bristow Group with the world's largest civilian fleet of Schweizer aircraft.

The Bristow safety vision, Target Zero was announced in Feb 2007. It aims to achieve Zero Accidents, Zero Harm to People and Zero Harm to the Environment. It goes beyond Safety Management Systems to involve Safety Culture & Safety Leadership.

Search and Rescue

Sikorsky S-61N operating for HM Coastguard

Bristow helicopters operated Sikorsky S-61N helicopters on behalf of the United Kingdom Coastguard until July 2007 after which there was a 12 month transitional period whilst CHC Helicopter took over the contract replacing the S-61N with new helicopters.

A Search and Rescue Eurocopter Super Puma was operated from Den Helder Airport in the Netherlands on behalf of oil companies, but ditched into the North Sea due to engine problems.

Now Bristow S61N's are responsible to carry out SAR tasks, operating from Den Helder Airport on behalf of the Oil and Gas Industry.

Fleet

The Bristow Helicopters fleet as at March 2009:

• 1 x Agusta-Bell 206B
• 2 x Bell 212
• 1 x Bell 412EP
• 4 x Eurocopter EC155 B1
• 13 x Eurocopter AS 332L
• 7 x Eurocopter EC225 LP
• 6 x Sikorsky S-61
• 13 x Sikorsky S-76
• 7 x Sikorsky S-92 (Many of which are based at Scatsta and Sumburgh in Shetland)

See also

• Whirlwind (novel)

External links

• Bristow Group
• Bristow page at Helicopter History site

• Alan Bristow-Daily Telegraph obituaries

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Published in July 2009.

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