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Aviation History
1977
1977 - 0060.PDF
LIGHT COMMERCIAL 54 &BUSINESS Ajr sUDDOrt Norway has a major stake in the search for North Sea oil. J. D. FERGUSON reports from Stavanger to describe the impact of the new industry on Norwegian aviation. THE exploitation of Norwegian offshore oil resources has meant as much work and investment as the corre sponding British effort, but the associated aviation activity has been less frenetic. Sympathetic official policies must take much of the credit for this orderly development. The Norwegian Government has always supported the expan sion of domestic aviation at all levels as a means of supplementing a severely restricted surface transport system. This process reached a peak in the early 1970s, just as oil-related aviation began to build up. Four Norwegian airfields are involved in oil support: Stavanger (Forus), Stavanger (Sola), Haugesund (Karmoy), and Bergen (Flesland). Forus is exclusively a helicopter base, while Sola handles the bulk of oil-related domestic and international fixed-wing traffic. Karmoy, completed in 1975, is only just beginning to play a major part, and Flesland has yet to realise its full potential. The bulk of the Norwegian offshore helicopter support force operates from Forus, an old Luftwaffe field situated some four miles from Sola and linked to it by a disused taxiway. The field is owned and run by Helikopter Service A/S, the first Norwegian commercial helicopter operator, which will celebrate its 21st anniversary next month. Forus was chosen by Helikopter Service after space problems arose at Sola when operations began in 1966. Although the old German-built runway and hangars were available, a new operations block/passenger terminal was built, and even this complex is becoming overcrowded. An engineer ing building has been added to one of the existing hangars, which also houses extensive workshops. Bulk fuel storage has been installed, and the runway and taxiways have been cleared of vegetation. The final stage of development will begin shortly with the construction at the other end of the hangar of a multi-purpose building to replace the present terminal. Helikopter Service operates Sikorsky S-61Ns, Bell 212s, Bell 206s, a Bell 204B and a Bell 214B from Forus. The S-61Ns and Bell 212s fly chiefly to the Ekofisk rig complex, some 160 n.m. to the south-west, but other rigs and barges are served as required. Ekofisk absorbs several regular daily flights beginning in the early hours of the morning, and a Bell 212 is based offshore for inter-platform shuttle duties. Client oil companies maintain permanent staff at Forus, and relations between them and Helikopter Service personnel are excellent at all levels. Helikopter Service's chief pilot at Forus is Capt Michael Boxill, whose views on offshore operating standards and procedures are occasionally at variance with some UK practices. To him, the provision of a radar altimeter for all-weather operation offshore is essential. He feels that all helicopter aircrew should wear the fullest possible safety and survival equipment compatible with reasonable cock pit comfort, and disagrees strongly with the "shirtsleeve environment" philosophy still current elsewhere. He would like to see the adoption of common procedures by everyone operating offshore in the North Sea, a view widely shared by Norwegian helicopter aircrew. In common with most of the parties with which Flight has discussed the northwards expansion of Norwegian oil exploration, Boxill feels that any new aircraft will have to match the S-61N for capacity, while cruising rather faster. Seen as essential is the ability to carry 20 passengers plus their baggage (or a freight equivalent) over 200 n.m. in winds of up to 60kt. Round-trip fuel should be carried, icing should present no problem, and a cruising speed of 140- 150kt is required. New-technology (glass-fibre) rotor blades The inter-rig shuttle within the Ekofisk drilling complex requires the full-time use of a Helikopter Service Bell 212 FLIGHT International, 8 January 1977 for Norway's oil would help in the interim—giving perhaps a Mk 2A S-61N. But the much discussed Mk 3—with new blades, more powerful engines (up to 2,500 s.h.p.), uprated gearbox and transmission, and full de-icing—is seen as a desirable development. Boxill feels that this type, should it go beyond Sikorsky paper studies, would have a definite role to play on both sides of the North Sea. Helikopter Service's weather minima reflect its wealth of North Sea experience: en route VFR, 3km visibility and 300ft cloudbase; en route IFR, 800m visibility and 240ft cloudbase. The wind limit is 60kt for normal opera tions, but in emergencies—the Deep Sea Driller stranding near Bergen, for instance—pilot ability and experience take over. At wind speeds above 60kt, not only do sector times become ridiculously long, but there is a risk of personnel being blown off landing platforms. Block cruising speed for the S-61N is 120kt, subject to temperature, pressure and payload limitations. The shorter- range Bell 212 is subject to similar weather limitations, and both types share the same rotor shutdown wind speed of 40kt. Neither type is cleared for operations in icing conditions, but this hazard is usually avoided off the Norwegian coast by descending. Helikopter Service is understood to be discussing with the Norwegian Direc torate of Civil Aviation new weather minima of 600-800m visibility coupled with a 150ft cloudbase. This would be practicable with the use of a combined NDB/radar alti meter procedure and probably represents the ultimate for normal operations. The helicopter's maintenance requirements are both time-consuming and complicated. Hans Heen, the com pany's maintenance manager at Forus, briefed Flight on Norwegian procedures and showed off the workshop areas which have been built within an old Luftwaffe hangar. Some equipment has been built locally to reduce costs, but this has in no way affected safety or reliability. About 150 engineers working in three shifts come under Heen's con trol to provide engineering support and spares for Heli-
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