Bristow Helicopters Limited is a British civil helicopter operator originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, which is currently a part of the U.S.-based Bristow Group (NYSE: VTOL) which in turn has its corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas, U.S. In 2020, Bristow Group was merged with Era Helicopters, a large U.S.-based commercial helicopter operator that was previously a division of Era Aviation, with the two companies then continuing to use the Bristow name.
Bristow Helicopters was established by Alan Bristow in June 1955; two years later, it acquired its first pair of helicopters in the form of the Westland Widgeon. The company quickly expanded overseas as well as various services, including helicopter training, oil exploration, search and rescue, and charter flights. Having entered the African market in 1960, Nigeria became Bristow's biggest profit centre during the 1970s. Entering the North Sea market, also during the 1960s, Bristow became Aberdeen Airport's largest single employer during the 1980s and was operating the majority of offshore flights in the North Sea. The company went through repeated changes in ownership during the 1980s and 1990s, leading to its acquisition by American helicopter operator Offshore Logistics in 1996, which re-branded itself as Bristow Group in February 2006.
Bristow Helicopters Limited 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. The U.S. division of Bristow is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Part 135 air carrier. On 11 May 2019, Bristow Group entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, affecting North America operations, but leaving overseas operations unchanged. After an aggressive expansion earlier in the decade, demand was cut back as crude oil prices dropped and Bristow Group's total debt stood at $1.44 billion by 30 September 2018. Bristow completed the UK's Eastern Airways sale on 10 May, and still wants to sell its interest in Australia's Airnorth, hoping for $230 million combined.
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History
Bristow Helicopters Limited traces its origins back to the endeavours of British inventor and business man Alan Bristow. A former test pilot for both the Royal Navy and Westland Helicopters, Bristow had chosen to invest his earnings into forming multiple companies, the first of which being Air Whaling Ltd. In June 1955, he opted to establish Bristow Helicopters Limited after securing a contract for the supply of helicopter crews at Shell to support rigs in the Persian Gulf. During 1957, Bristow Helicopters received a contract from BP, which allowed the firm to purchase its own helicopters, a pair of Westland Widgeons. That same year, having realised that few companies could afford helicopter services, Bristow began to seek work around the globe; the company soon launched successful ventures into both Iran and Bolivia.
In 1960, Bristow Helicopters chose to enter the African market via the acquisition of crop-spraying specialist Fison-Airwork, which had also operated in locations in Central America and the UK. Bristow opted to discontinue crop-spraying activities in favour of focusing on oil exploration work in Nigeria on behalf of Shell; by the start of the Biafran War in 1967, the company had a fleet of 11 helicopters committed the Nigerian oil exploration effort, based at Port Harcourt. Early on in the conflict, Bristow helped to evacuate oil workers in the region to the safety of Fernando Po; despite the risks, Bristow maintained its Nigerian operations throughout the three years of war via a reduced presence in Lagos and Warri. This decision to remain gave the company a head-start on rivals as oil companies returned to the region after the war's end. Throughout much of 1970s, Nigeria functioned as Bristow's biggest profit centre; it continued to grow through the decade via contracts from Shell, Mobil, Texaco and other companies.
In the mid-1960s, Bristow opted to enter the North Sea market; being the second helicopter operator (after BEA Helicopters Limited) to establish operations at Aberdeen, Scotland, it was relatively well positioned to take advantage of the region's oil boom. Starting on 17 February 1965, the company operated the Westland Wessex 60 ten-seat helicopter to support these off-shore installations. Throughout the 1970s, Bristow would expand its Aberdeen operation, its main oil and gas support hub being based at Dyce Airport; in 1972, the company allocated the first of several Sikorsky S-61N to Sumburgh Airport in support of Shell's offshore rigs. Following an expansion programme, which included the building of new on-site accommodations for workers and their families, around thirty S-61N flights were routinely flying daily from Sumburgh, supported by round-the-clock maintenance coverage, at the peak of operations during the 1970s. During the 1980s, Bristow became Aberdeen Airport's largest single employer, its personnel in Aberdeen having increased a hundred-fold, as well as operating the majority of offshore flights in the North Sea. In 1980 alone, nearly 400,000 passengers and over 2,300 tons of freight passed through Bristow's Aberdeen terminal.
Current operations
Joint ventures
In addition to its wholly owned international operations, Bristow Group maintains service agreements and equity interests in helicopter operators in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Mexico, Norway and Russia (Sakhalin) and the United Kingdom. This allows Bristow to extend its range of services into new and developing oil and gas markets and helps provide a lower cost structure in some operating areas. Partners include:
Cougar Helicopters
Helicopteros Nacionales de Colombia, Helicol S.A., Colombia
Petroleum Air Services, Egypt
Atyrau Bristow Airways Services (ABAS), Kazakhstan
Turkmenistan Helicopters Limited, Turkmenistan
Heliservicio Campeche, Mexico
Norsk Helikopter, Norway – now Bristow Norway
Sakhalin Bristow Air Services AKA Aviashelf, Sakhalin, Russia
FBH Limited, UK
Fixed Wing
Bristow has controlling interests in Eastern Airways which is a regional airline based in the U.K. operating fixed wing regional jet and turboprop aircraft and Airnorth, also a regional airline, based in Australia operating fixed wing regional jet and turboprop aircraft. Both Eastern Airways and Airnorth operate scheduled passenger services, shuttle flights for oil and gas industry personnel, and charter services.
Although not a joint venture, in 2015 Bristow and AgustaWestland agreed to develop offshore and search and rescue capabilities for the AW609 tiltrotor. This could simplify a typical trip from Clapham Common to an oil rig by using just one aircraft. Bristow intends to order more than 10 tiltrotors.
Search and Rescue
Bristow helicopters operated Sikorsky S-61N helicopters on behalf of HM Coastguard, the United Kingdom's 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.
Bristow operated four dedicated Search and Rescue (SAR) sites in the UK, on behalf of HM Coastguard. The units were located at Portland (EGDP) and Lee-on-Solent (EGHF) on the south coast of England, at Stornoway (EGPO) in the Outer Hebrides, and at Sumburgh (EGPB) in the Shetland Isles.
Northern North Sea services operated from Aberdeen (EGPD), Scatsta (EGPM) and Stavanger (ENZV).
Southern North Sea services operate from Norwich (EGSH), Humberside (EGNJ) and Den Helder (EHKD) with its support organisation based at Redhill (EGKR).
Bristow S-61N's were responsible to carry out SAR tasks, operating from Den Helder Airport on behalf of the oil and gas industry.
On 26 March 2013, Bristow was awarded a 10-year contract to operate the search and rescue operations in the United Kingdom, at the time being provided by CHC Helicopter (on behalf of HM Coastguard), the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Bristow is currently operating AgustaWestland AW139, AgustaWestland AW189 and Sikorsky S-92 helicopters in support of this contract.
As part of its acquisition of British International Helicopters, Bristow also operates support as well as search and rescue helicopters out of RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands. Two Sikorsky S-92 helicopters are used for everyday military transport and land logistic support around the islands, where there are few roads and a 12-mile (19 km) strip of sea separates the two main islands. Search and rescue is conducted using two AW189 helicopters.
In July 2022 it was announced that Bristow had been awarded a second ten-year contract.
Fleet
Bristow operates a large fleet of over 450 helicopters and aircraft, which includes unconsolidated affiliates and joint venture partners. Bristow intends to reduce fleet variety from 24 helicopter types to six. For subsidiary Airnorth fixed wing jet and turboprop aircraft, see Airnorth.
Incidents
On 4 April 1967, 5N-ABQ, a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Series 1, crashed in Nigeria during a single engine approach.
On 13 August 1981, G-ASWI, a Westland Wessex 60 helicopter lost power to the main rotor gearbox, going out of control during the ensuing autorotation. The flight was carrying 11 gas workers from the Leman gas field to Bacton, Norfolk. All people on board were lost.
On 14 September 1982, G-BDIL, a Bell 212, crashed into the North Sea near the Murchison oil platform while on a nighttime search and rescue mission.
On 4 July 1983, G-TIGD, an Aerospatiale AS332L Super Puma crashed on landing at Aberdeen. During the approach to Aberdeen from the North Hutton platform, a loud bang was heard, followed by severe vibration. A PAN call was made to ATC by the crew. Shortly before landing control was lost and the helicopter struck the runway heavily on its side. 10 of 16 passengers received serious injuries. A tail boom panel had become detached in flight and damaged all five tail rotor blades. The resulting imbalance to the tail rotor assembly led to the separation of this unit and subsequent loss of control.
In 1984, G-BJJR, a Bell 212, crashed with the loss of two crew on approach to the Cecil Provine.
On 5 December 1991, VR-BIG, an Aerospatiale SA-330J Puma, ditched in Mermaid Sound, Dampier, Western Australia, after a pick-up from departing LNG tanker in night VFR conditions, entered a vortex ring state. After ditching, it stayed afloat for over two hours.
On 14 March 1992, G-TIGH, a Bristow's Tiger (Aerospatiale Super Puma), lost altitude and crashed while ferrying passengers from the Cormorant Alpha to the flotel Safe Supporter. Of the two crew and 14 passengers on board, one crew member and ten passengers were lost.
On 19 January 1995, G-TIGK, an AS-332L Super Puma helicopter on Bristow Flight 56C between Aberdeen and oil rigs in the North Sea, was struck by lightning. The flight was carrying 16 oil workers from Aberdeen to an oil platform at the Brae oilfield. All people on board survived.
In popular culture
Whirlwind (novel) – A novel by James Clavell, first published in 1986, which was inspired by the true struggle of Bristow Helicopters to escape the revolutionary forces and get their employees and equipment out of the unstable, deteriorating situation in Iran. Much of the story mirrors these and other contemporary events.