Episode 6 - CHC Helikopter Service 241

Inside The Black Box

It is just after 11am on the 29th of April 2016. An Airbus Helicopters EC225 Super Puma touches down on a helipad in the North Sea. CHC Helikopter Services Flight 241 has just landed on the Gullfaks B Oil and Gas Platform in the Norwegian North Sea, about 80 miles off the Norwegian Coast.

The EC225 Super Puma has been chartered by the national oil company of Norway and operator of the platform, Statoil. Today, CHC Helikopter Service 241 is undertaking a shuttle service from the heliport at Bergen which lies about 180km to the south east of the platform. Helicopters play an essential part in the North Sea Oil industry, enabling offshore workers to quickly get from heliports onshore to offshore installations, as well as quickly transporting vital components and undertaking search and rescue missions. In a given year, helicopters in the North Sea facilitate approximately 2 million passenger journeys. The mode of transport is not without its risks. There have been numerous accidents, ditchings and even crashes involving helicopters in the North Sea sector leading to loss of life.