Offshore Helicopter Services

Offshore Helicopter Services (OHS) is a British helicopter operator focused on transporting personnel to and from offshore oil and gas installations in the North Sea. The company operates from Aberdeen and Sumburgh and serves a relatively small group of energy-sector customers. Its activities include passenger transport, aircraft maintenance and specialist emergency support for offshore operations. The company has historically transported approximately 200,000 passengers a year between mainland bases and offshore platforms, making it part of the essential aviation infrastructure supporting the United Kingdom’s offshore energy industry. OHS is the latest name in a business lineage associated with Bond Aviation. The company’s origins can be traced to the aviation enterprises established by David Bond, a former wartime Lancaster pilot who entered commercial aviation after the Second World War. Bond’s early operations included air taxis, charter work, agricultural flying and surveying. In the 1960s, Management Aviation began operating Hiller helicopters for commercial purposes, and by the early 1970s the business had entered the North Sea support market. It introduced light twin-engine helicopters for North Sea and lighthouse work before expanding into larger aircraft and additional British operating bases. The Bond organization developed into a significant United Kingdom helicopter group. It was renamed Bond Helicopters in 1984 and diversified into emergency medical services, lighthouse support, film work and other specialist aviation activities. Its offshore business expanded again in 2004, when Bond Aviation Group established Bond Offshore Helicopters with facilities at Aberdeen Airport. The operation later became part of the Avincis group and, following Babcock International Group’s acquisition of Avincis in 2014, was renamed Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore in 2016. Babcock subsequently sold its oil and gas aviation business to CHC Group in September 2021. Following a competition review of the proposed transaction, CHC was required to divest OHS. The operation was subsequently sold to the owner of South African aviation company Ultimate Aviation and adopted the Offshore Helicopter Services name. The ownership transition occurred against a difficult financial backdrop: the company reported a going-concern warning associated with an unexpected demand for back taxes reportedly accumulated under earlier ownership. No current public corporate website, stock listing or detailed ownership structure is established in the supplied reference material. The company operates a mixed fleet that has included Airbus Helicopters H175, Sikorsky S-92, Leonardo AW139 and Airbus AS365N3 aircraft. In addition to routine offshore transportation, OHS operates two AW139 search-and-rescue helicopters from Aberdeen. These aircraft carry specialist equipment such as searchlights, infrared cameras, loudhailers and communications systems and provide round-the-clock coverage for the central North Sea. The SAR capability supports offshore oil and gas operations and is distinct from the company’s passenger-transport work. OHS and its predecessor businesses have also been involved in several significant offshore helicopter safety events. These include a 2009 controlled flight into the sea in which all 18 occupants survived, the fatal loss of G-REDL in April 2009 with 16 fatalities, and a controlled ditching of G-REDW in May 2012 in which all 14 occupants were rescued. The incidents contributed to wider scrutiny of Super Puma operations and emergency lubrication-system design. In 2023, an H175 sustained severe rotor damage while parked offshore during Storm Otto after a tail-rotor chip warning had prevented its return flight. These events form part of the operating history of the business and its predecessor identities rather than evidence of a single current corporate episode.

The history of Offshore Helicopter Services is rooted in the Bond aviation businesses established by David Bond. Bond, a former Lancaster pilot, founded a commercial aviation company after the Second World War and initially operated aircraft for air taxi, charter and specialist flying work. His activities included agricultural operations in the Caribbean and Central America, surveying in Algeria and other contract flying. In 1961, Bond founded Management Aviation to operate Hiller 12E helicopters near Cambridge. The company initially concentrated on commercial helicopter work, including crop spraying, but entered the North Sea market by 1972. It introduced the light twin-engine Bölkow 105 for North Sea and lighthouse operations and later added larger Aérospatiale Dauphin helicopters. Bases at Bacton, Theddlethorpe, Kirmington and the former RAF Strubby site supported the company’s expansion. After David Bond’s death in 1977, his son Steven Bond became managing director, and the business added medium and heavy helicopters such as the S-58T and S-61N. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Bond group broadened its activities. Management Aviation was rebranded Bond Helicopters in 1984. The company launched a dedicated air ambulance service for Cornwall in 1987 and later created Bond Air Services to develop light-twin operations for air ambulances, lighthouse support and other specialist customers. The business also undertook film-related flying, including work connected with Eon Productions. In 1993, the acquisition of Lloyd Helicopters expanded the group into Australia and Southeast Asia and increased its overall fleet substantially. In 1994, Bond Group combined with Norway’s Helikopter Service to form the Helicopter Services Group, then one of the world’s largest commercial offshore helicopter organizations. CHC Helicopter acquired the Helicopter Services Group in 1999. The Bond family subsequently acquired the non-oil-and-gas Bond Air Services division, while the offshore activities remained within the broader CHC-related corporate structure. Bond’s headquarters moved from Aberdeen to Gloucestershire in 2001, although Aberdeen continued as its principal offshore operating location. In 2004, Bond Aviation Group re-entered the offshore oil and gas market by forming Bond Offshore Helicopters and establishing dedicated hangar and passenger-terminal facilities at Aberdeen Airport. The business continued to develop specialist aviation operations. Bond Air Services began a United Kingdom wind-farm support contract in 2010 using a winch-equipped EC135T2i from Lowestoft. In 2011, Bond Air Services was acquired by World Helicopter Group, associated with Grupo Inaer, Investindustrial and KKR. Bond Offshore Helicopters also expanded its heavy-helicopter capability, including the delivery of Sikorsky S-92 aircraft in 2013 and 2014. In 2014, Babcock International acquired the Avincis group, bringing Bond Offshore Helicopters into Babcock’s Mission Critical Services organization. On 25 April 2016, Bond was renamed Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore. During this period the operation developed substantial Aberdeen facilities, including a passenger terminal opened in 2014 and a 21,000-square-foot hangar opened in 2015. The hangar supported maintenance and storage for aircraft types including the S-92, H175, AW139 and AS365N3. In 2017, licensed engineering staff voted for Prospect to receive recognition for collective bargaining. The operation also became responsible for a dedicated offshore search-and-rescue capability. Two AW139 aircraft based at Aberdeen were configured with searchlights, infrared cameras, loudhailers and communications equipment. Operating with one aircraft as primary and the other as backup, they provided continuous central North Sea emergency coverage under a five-year contract reportedly valued at £60 million and involving Oil & Gas UK and 18 oil and gas companies. Babcock completed the sale of its oil and gas aviation business to CHC Group in September 2021. The UK Competition and Markets Authority required divestment of OHS as part of its review of the proposed combination of the two UK businesses. The company was subsequently sold to the owner of South African aviation company Ultimate Aviation and became known as Offshore Helicopter Services. Accounts referenced in the source material included a going-concern warning connected with a substantial unexpected back-tax demand. The company’s operating history also includes several major safety incidents. On 18 February 2009, EC225 G-REDU descended into the sea during a night approach to an offshore platform; all 18 people survived. On 1 April 2009, AS332 L2 G-REDL crashed in the North Sea while returning from the Miller field, killing all 16 occupants. On 10 May 2012, EC225 G-REDW ditched after a low-oil-pressure warning; all 14 occupants were rescued. Investigations focused on the emergency lubrication system of the EC225 main gearbox. In February 2023, H175 G-MCSH suffered extensive rotor damage after landing at the Elgin-Franklin complex during severe winds from Storm Otto. The helicopter was unable to depart because of a warning, and wind-related rotor movement caused several blades to break.

• 2021

  Divestment from Babcock and subsequent rebranding

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Babcock sold its oil and gas aviation business to CHC, after which OHS was divested following a UK competition review and became Offshore Helicopter Services.

• 2016

  Renamed Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  The Bond offshore operation adopted the Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore name.

• 2014

  Babcock acquires Avincis

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Bond Offshore Helicopters became part of Babcock International following Babcock’s acquisition of Avincis.

• 2004

  Bond Offshore Helicopters established

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Bond Aviation Group re-entered the offshore oil and gas support market and created Bond Offshore Helicopters at Aberdeen Airport.

• 1994

  Helicopter Services Group formed

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Bond Group merged with Norway’s Helikopter Service to create the Helicopter Services Group.

• 1984

  Management Aviation renamed Bond Helicopters

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  The operating business adopted the Bond Helicopters name as the group expanded its specialist aviation portfolio.

• 1972

  Entry into North Sea helicopter operations

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  The Bond aviation business entered North Sea support work and introduced light twin-engine helicopters for offshore and lighthouse operations.

• 1961

  Management Aviation established

  [1]Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  David Bond founded Management Aviation to operate Hiller helicopters for commercial services in the United Kingdom.

A specialist offshore aviation operator supporting energy companies with personnel transport, emergency response and helicopter services in the North Sea.

• Helicopter transportation

  Offshore passenger transport

  OHS transports offshore workers and other authorized passengers between mainland airports and North Sea oil and gas platforms. The service is built around scheduled and contract flying for energy-sector customers, using a mixed fleet suited to different passenger loads, distances and offshore operating requirements. Aberdeen is the principal operating base, with Sumburgh also supporting offshore activity.

• Emergency aviation services

  Offshore search and rescue

  The company operates two AW139 helicopters configured for offshore search and rescue. The aircraft carry specialist systems including infrared cameras, searchlights, loudhailers and communications equipment. Based at Aberdeen, they provide primary and backup coverage for the central North Sea and support emergency response connected with offshore energy operations.

• Aviation support · 2015

  Helicopter maintenance and storage

  OHS’s Aberdeen facilities include hangar space used for aircraft maintenance and storage. The documented facility was designed to accommodate aircraft such as the Sikorsky S-92, Airbus Helicopters H175 and AS365N3, and Leonardo AW139, supporting the operational readiness of the offshore fleet.

• 2021

  Divestment following CHC’s acquisition of Babcock’s oil and gas aviation businessM&A

  Background

  Babcock agreed to sell its oil and gas aviation business to CHC Group. The UK Competition and Markets Authority investigated the proposed combination of the two UK companies and required OHS to be divested.

  Action taken

  The business was transferred through the CHC transaction and subsequently sold to the owner of Ultimate Aviation, adopting the Offshore Helicopter Services identity.

  Aftermath

  The transaction changed the company’s corporate ownership and brand identity. The supplied material also reports a going-concern warning associated with an unexpected back-tax demand.

  Reported estimated back-tax demand. Approximately £10 million (Reported in connection with accounts after the 2021 ownership transition)

  Source

1. 1Offshore Helicopter Servicesen.wikipedia.org