Health and Safety Report 2019

4.2 Current Helicopter Types At the end of 2018, the active UKCS helicopter fleet numbered 74 aircraft and comprised a mix of medium and heavy twin-engine airframe types. Since 2001, only heavy and medium twin-engine helicopters have been used for commercial air transport (CAT) on the UKCS. This is because two-pilot light helicopter operations generally do not have sufficient range or payload to meet contemporary offshore commercial requirements. The active fleet has therefore increased slightly in 2018 compared to 2017, with four more airframes than at the end of 2016. Four more Airbus H175 aircraft have been added to the fleet, and one additional AW139, while one H155 has left service. Other types have remained unchanged.

The helicopter types in active use for UKCS offshore oil and gas support as of the end of 2018 are shown in the table below.

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Figure 27: Current Helicopter Types used for UKCS Offshore Oil and Gas Support

Type

Weight Class

Introduced

In Fleet

Leonardo AW139

Medium Medium Medium Medium

2005 1979 2007 2016 2014 2005

20

Airbus AS365 N3 (Dauphin)

2 1

Airbus H155 Airbus H175

12

Leonardo AW189

Heavy Heavy

2

Sikorsky S92

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As in previous years the S92 helicopter remains the most common type in use in the UKCS, making up half of the offshore fleet and carrying two-thirds of passengers transferred in 2018 (498,478). The AW139 is second, carrying 16 per cent of passengers (121,127).

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