THIS WEEK
flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 13
EASA tells ATR
pilots to take it
easy on approach
TRANSPORT PG
lobal rotorcraft operator Bris-
tow Group is considering
placing an “airline-like” order for
a substantial number of new heli-
copters as it uses the downturn in
the oil and gas support sector to
reshape its buying patterns.
Typically, the Texas-based firm
has ordered “in 10-batches”, says
president and chief executive Jona-
than Baliff, but it is now re-evaluat-
ing the way it acquires helicopters.
Speaking during a results call
on 6 February, Baliff said the
change had been under consider-
ation for some time. “We really
do want to look at this downturn
as a way to really change the way
we at Bristow purchase our air-
craft into a much more airline-
like large aircraft order,” he says.
Baliff’s comments echoed
those of chief operating officer
Jeremy Akel, who says Bristow is
looking to “make a decision on a
significant investment in our fleet
future at an appropriate time dur-
ing this downturn”.
Although tumbling crude oil
prices have led many customers
to cut back on their exploration
and production activities, Baliff
believes the downturn will onlylast for “12 to 24 months”.
Meanwhile, says Akel, the lack
of near-term production availabil-
ity at the major helicopter manu-
facturers is beginning to ease.
However, he cautions that this
may just be a “blip” and that the
long-term demand for heavy air-
craft will return to previous levels.
For now, there continue to be “in-
cremental asks” from customers for
helicopters in the medium and su-
per-medium categories, says Baliff.
Meanwhile, Bristow is working
towards the start of its 10-year con-
tract with the UK government totake over search and rescue (SAR)
activities using AgustaWestland
AW189s and Sikorsky S-92s.
The first bases – at Inverness in
Scotland and Humberside, north-
east England – will go live on 1
April, and Akel says Bristow is
“on schedule and on budget”.
Over its next financial year, seven
bases will be completed, and 14
aircraft will enter service.
Financial statements for the
quarter to 31 December show Bris-
tow had 37 helicopters on order –
10 medium, 16 heavy and 11 SAR-
configured – and 39 options. ■ROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY LONDONBristow ponders major order
Operator eyes significant fleet investment to match demand as oil and gas downturn endsBristow had orders for 37 helicopters pending at the end of 2014Donald DouglasI
srael Aerospace Industries has
signed a teaming agreement
with India's Alpha Design Tech-
nologies to jointly market and
produce mini-unmanned air ve-
hicles including the former's
Bird-Eye 400 and 650 for Indian
operators.
Announced on 11 February,
the agreement is in line with the
requirements of New Delhi's
“Buy and make India” procure-
ment category, says Shaul Sha-
har, general manager of IAI's Mili-
tary Aircraft Group.
Potential Indian customers for
mini-UAVs could include the
armed forces, coastguard, securi-
ty agencies and police and border
security forces, IAI says. Systems
covered by the pact would be
produced in India, with “integra-
tion of additional applications
and subsystems” to be performed
by Alpha with IAI’s support. ■
ALLIANCE
Mini-UAVs bring
IAI and India’s
Alpha together
Potential Indian
customers could
include the armed
forces, coastguard
and security agencies