Story ID: 5122413alerts
All Operators Reinstate Eurocopter EC225
By: Thierry Dubois
Caption: 
Word Count: 177
With Brazil-based BHS Helicopter, Omni and Aeróleo Taxi Aéro resuming Eurocopter EC225 Super Puma operations, all operators have reinstated the type, the helicopter manufacturer announced last week. The three Brazilian companies fly in support of Petrobras’s offshore oil-and-gas activities. The medium twin returned to service in July with Angola’s Sonair and gradually in other parts of the world, with 75 percent of the fleet back in operation as of December 20. Eurocopter identifies the other operators as CHC Helicopter, Bristow, Bond, Blueway DanCopter, Era and MHS Aviation Berhad. However, the Marignane, France-based airframer remains reluctant to detail the situation in the UK North Sea, where not all EC225s have been returned to service. CEO Guillaume Faury recently admitted he has little influence on his customers’ clients. Big oil firms still appear conservative, if not reluctant, about seeing their employees flying in the EC225. In addition to safety action already approved by European and UK authorities, redesign of the main gearbox shaft is under way, for retrofit starting in the second half of 2014.