The expanding contracts of the NHV at Esbjerg Airport
The expanding contracts of the NHV at Esbjerg Airport
Introduction
Esbjerg Airport, located on the western coast of Denmark, has ceased to serve as a vital hub for aviation and transportation. Among the notable operators at this airport, one stands out with its bright yellow helicopters, which belong to NHV (Noordzee Helicopters Vlaanderen), a company known for its significant contributions to the offshore helicopter industry, particularly in the North Sea region. Roelof-Jan Gort and Björn van der Flier visited Esbjerg Airport to gather more information. They spoke with Base Manager Gitte Eriksen, pilot Janne Dethlefsen, and Head of Maintenance Steve McNeill about this matter.
Early Years and Development
Initially founded in 1997, NHV quickly established itself as a reliable operator in the offshore transportation sector, expanding its footprint across Europe, Africa, and beyond, offering tailored helicopter transport services. The company initially focused on providing helicopter services for the oil and gas industry, which was burgeoning in the North Sea. Esbjerg Airport, with its strategic location and modern facilities, became a key operational base for NHV.
The airport’s history dates back to 1948, but it was the rise of the offshore energy sector in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that transformed Esbjerg into a critical logistics hub. The presence of NHV further solidified this role, as the company expanded its fleet and service offerings to meet the growing demands of the offshore industry.
Expansion and fleet development
As NHV expanded, its fleet grew with larger, more advanced helicopters. Initially operating smaller aircraft, the company invested in these to meet the increasing passenger and cargo demands of AW139, AW169, H145, and the AS365 Dauphin.
The United Kingdom has always been a leader in the offshore flying sector, quickly adopting flight safety concepts that contributed to the development of twin-engine helicopters operated by two-person crews. However, while the UK had its helicopter manufacturing industry, companies like Westland Helicopters in the UK and those in Denmark were entirely reliant on foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Ultimately, the EC155s and AS365 Dauphin became the first safety-enhanced offshore helicopters in Denmark. In 2003, a newly formed operating company, DanCopter, took over specific contracts from Maersk.
Since the introduction of a new helicopter model, the offshore aviation industry has encountered several challenges. On July 1, 2012, NHV’s predecessor, DanCopter, launched a new helicopter type, the EC225, which facilitated the transportation of up to 19 offshore workers to oil platforms and back to shore. However, just four months after its debut, another operator’s EC225 helicopter, carrying fourteen offshore workers, ditched at sea. This incident resulted in the temporary grounding of the fleet for safety reasons. Fortunately, the EC225 returned to service by the end of that year.
Tragically, in 2016, another EC225 was involved in a fatal incident in Bergen, Norway, when the main rotor detached from the helicopter, resulting in the deaths of all onboard. This catastrophic event marked the end of the EC225’s operations in the North Sea offshore business and led to the closure of several operators.
In 2015, NHV Group acquired DanCopter, marking a new chapter for the Danish offshore helicopter business. Following the EC225 disaster, all oil and gas clients refused to accept new helicopter models, despite ongoing discussions with Airbus Helicopters about a new model. This eventually led to the development of the H175, which is now regarded as the best helicopter for their operations. Compared to the EC225, the H175 has a smaller passenger capacity, with three fewer seats, which better suits NHV’s requirements. As a result of the H175’s smaller cabin size, they are now achieving nearly 100% occupancy with this helicopter.
NHV’s commitment to safety and quality has led to numerous certifications and accolades, enhancing its reputation in the industry. This dedication is reflected in the high standards of maintenance and training, ensuring that both pilots and crew are well-prepared for the unique challenges of offshore operations.
Operations at Esbjerg Airport
Esbjerg Airport serves as a key operational base for NHV’s Danish entity, NHV A/S, facilitating the transportation of personnel and equipment to offshore installations, as well as supporting offshore wind projects in the North Sea. The airport’s proximity to major oil and gas fields makes it an ideal location for NHV’s operations, which include passenger transport, cargo services, and training and safety programs.
At Esbjerg Airport, NHV currently operates a fleet of three H175 helicopters. NHV now employs 36 staff members at Esbjerg Airport, comprising 14 pilots, 14 technicians, and eight office support staff.
Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
Heli SA Cat 1 operations
In March 2024, NHV Group announced that its Danish entity is the first operator in the North Sea to be approved to provide “Operations Credits – Helicopter Special Authorization Category I (Heli Sa Cat I) Operations” from EASA – European Union Aviation Safety Agency. This new approval has been introduced to increase the number of available and accessible alternatives within the available fuel range. This gives NHV a massive advantage over competitors. When they are forced to stay on the ground, NHV can still perform their flights, providing better service to their customers.
Key Components of Heli SA Cat 1 are the Safety Management Systems (SMS), pilot training and competence, maintenance standards, and operational procedures.
Compared to the standard regulation, this special approval gives them better operational benefits, including:
- Reduced minimum visibility to 300m from the usual requirement of 550 meters, so the special approval offers a significant reduction.
- With the use of the instrument Landing System (ILS), they can now descend to 150 feet. If the airport is authorized to use Low Visibility Procedures (LVP), it is permitted to descend to 130 feet. This represents a significant difference from the typical minimum altitude on an ILS, which is usually 200 feet.
- Lower weather requirements for alternate airfields when the weather is marginal at their destination. This offers us a substantial improvement in the number of operational days and a better payload for our clients. The weather requirements for alternative airfields are reduced from a 1000-meter visibility to a 600-meter visibility, and the cloud ceiling is reduced from 400 feet to 300 feet.
Pilot Training Programs
NHV invests heavily in pilot training, adhering to the high standards set by EASA. The company implements rigorous training programs that include simulator training, emergency response drills, and regular assessments. This commitment ensures that pilots are not only proficient in operating helicopters but are also prepared for unexpected situations.
Ms. Eriksen explained: “We do all the training ourselves, here at the base and Airbus Helicopters in Marseilles in the simulator. There is a minimum number of hours that pilots must have in the simulator, and there are also specific requirements regarding flying hours from our customers before a pilot is permitted to fly for them. If you are a new pilot on this helicopter type, your training begins at the office with classroom instruction. Later, they are sent to Marseilles in SIM. And if they pass, they will continue to do some line training in the helicopter for a period. And there are about three weeks of classroom training, two weeks in SIM, and seven to fourteen days of flight training with a line trainer. Then you might be ready to be a new co-pilot, but you are allowed to fly with experienced Captains.”
Experiences from a co-pilot’s view
Janne Dethlefsen, a 32-year-old co-pilot who has about 1400 flight hours, will elaborate about her experiences and training: “I started my PPL in Esbjerg Airport on the R22, civilian and modular. In that way, I was able to work during my helicopter education. I took my ATPL at Billund Air Center and returned to Esbjerg to complete my CPL on the R44. After completing my education, I spent the next five years traveling for sightseeing. Mt dream was to fly offshore, but I needed a lot more flying hours to meet the hiring criteria. Meanwhile, I got my IR and FI. In 2021, I started my training on the H175 with Babcock and flew till 2023 at Babcock/CHC on the H175.”
Since 2023, I’ve been flying with NHV on the H175. The reason I chose NHV is that I was already type-rated on the H175, which was the same type NHV Esbjerg was using. And nonetheless, I had heard incredibly positive rumors about NHV. At NHV, we always fly with two pilots, the co-pilot and the pilot in command. Since we fly to the oil and gas platforms, my job as co-pilot is to work closely with the commander to ensure a safe operation.
Janne Dethlefsen flies about six hundred hours every year on the H175. Before departure, the pilots check the latest weather package, which also contains information about the offshore installations. After completing the flight plan, they change into their flight suits and walk out to the helicopter to conduct a preflight check. This process takes about one hour before they are ready to fly on their new flight. On their flight, they can accommodate approximately sixteen passengers with a maximum payload of 2,028 kg. However, this depends on the weather, fuel availability offshore, and the flight’s routing.
About flying on the H175, she said: “The H175 is exceptionally comfortable, featuring high automation, low vibration, and excellent air conditioning that works well even in hot climates, ensuring a comfortable environment for both passengers and pilots. The state-of-the-art autopilot, featuring “Auto hover” and “Autoland,” is especially noteworthy. With a maximum range of 650NM, we can reach all the oil and gas installations in the North Sea.”
Janne Dethlefsen would like to add something about flying to the various installations and the possible dangers that exist. She should take into account: “We are dropping people off at the offshore installations, and every time before our landings, we are performing a small risk assessment, where we as crew are trying to identify all the threats and which countermeasures we take to mitigate the risk. The risks could include wind direction causing significant turbulence, exhaust gases from the platform, and supply vessels in the vicinity of the platform, among other potential hazards. But every time I fly, I provide the safest flight, so I try to practice my skills to the highest level possible every time.”
For flying the H175 over the North Sea, NHV’s helicopters are all equipped with floats. These floats allow for emergency water landings. Co-pilot Janne Dethlefsen explains that the floats are always armed when flying over the sea, and they can be inflated when needed below a specific airspeed. This type of training is standard every year during SIM training, which includes ditching over the sea with and without engine power. Additionally, every third year, the crew must train on how to exit the helicopter in the event of a ditching. This training is conducted at RelyOn Nutec using a dummy helicopter that is lowered into a pool of water. During the training, participants practice exiting the aircraft using the emergency exits and swimming to the surface, even when the aircraft is upside down. Each trainee has their safety diver, and the training is conducted in a controlled environment. All passengers must undergo the same type of training before they are allowed on board for an offshore flight. This preparation is necessary due to the rapidly changing weather conditions in the area. Therefore, we need to plan everything carefully, and in addition to this, we have a safety kit with us. This safety kit has extra undies and a toothbrush, because you never know if you need to sleep somewhere unexpected.”
About her experiences with night flying, she goes further in detail about this: “Flying at night presents unique challenges. It is more difficult to make a smooth landing due to the decreased visibility. There are several factors to consider:
- Night vision: our eyes require about thirty minutes to adjust to the darkness. To prevent this, we must continue to scan the horizon.
- Autokinesis: Fixating on a single light can cause it to appear to be moving. To prevent this, we need to keep a close eye on the horizon.
- False horizon: Specific combinations of streetlights or clouds can create a false horizon. To avoid this, we rely on our instruments for guidance.
- Black hole effect: When approaching an airport with minimal lighting, it is challenging to judge our height and distance from the runway accurately. The same applies to offshore landings, where we sometimes only have a green ring of light on the helideck. This is particularly difficult when landing at night on a Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) in adverse weather conditions.
Maintenance and Operational Excellence
NHV’s maintenance procedures are designed to meet and exceed EASA regulatory requirements. The company utilizes advanced technology and best practices to conduct thorough maintenance checks, ensuring that all aircraft are safe and reliable. Operational protocols are continuously reviewed and updated to reflect the latest standards and practices.
Steve McNeil served as the Chief of Maintenance in Africa for ten years and has held the same position in Denmark for the last five years. At the NHV base at Esbjerg Airport, a progressive maintenance schedule is implemented for all inspections up to 800 flight hours, based on both calendar and flight-hour intervals. Several engineers possess a B1.3 license, allowing them to work on helicopters with one or more turbine engines. A B1.3 licensed engineer oversees all aspects of helicopter maintenance. Additionally, some engineers have a B2 license, which pertains to instrumentation and electronic equipment, while others hold a C license. The C license allows the engineer to manage maintenance tasks, ensuring conformity to the maintenance manual and regulatory requirements, and to issue certificates of release to service following base maintenance on the aircraft.
Regarding the maintenance schedule, he explained: “We perform a first check every ten flight hours, followed by checks at fifty flight hours, one hundred flight hours, one hundred fifty flight hours, two hundred flight hours, two hundred eighty flight hours, four hundred flight hours, six hundred flight hours, and finally at eight hundred flight hours before BMX.” The operational deployment of the helicopters is currently above 85%, despite flying five to seven days a week, taking into account various defects and other factors.
Expanding contracts in the oil and gas industry
In May 2023, NHV A/S secured a new contract with TotalEnergies EP Denmark to support offshore operations in the Danish sector of the North Sea. The contract involved NHV at Esbjerg Airport deploying a dedicated H175 helicopter to transport personnel and equipment to the TotalEnergies installations in the Dan and Tyra fields.
Ms. Eriksen explains that: “In July 2024, NHV successfully secured a 3 + 2 year contract renewal with INEOS plus further potential extensions. What we are doing is flying people offshore every day for crew change. We must fly every day to the rigs, and if they suddenly need an extra flight, we need to be able to support them with this.” She continues: “For INEOS and TotalEnergies, we have about two to four flights a day. Sometimes, they request additional time if they need to catch up due to severe weather conditions. Then we try to find a solution to help them, and if possible, with more flights than we normally have. But each flight takes between 2,5 and 4 hours, and then the pilots need to plan for their next flight. Therefore, engineers sometimes need to inspect the helicopter to check everything between flights. So, this is one big coordination every day for our team.”
Prospects
As the global energy landscape evolves, the NHV Group continues to adapt to new realities, including the growing emphasis on renewable energy sources. The company is exploring opportunities in the offshore wind sector, which is gaining momentum in the North Sea. This shift aligns with global sustainability goals and promises to keep Esbjerg Airport at the forefront of aviation logistics in the region.
We at FlyHighAeromedia.com would like to express our gratitude to Jessicca Gordon and Delphine Demeyer of the NHV headquarters in Oostende, and a special thanks goes to Base Manager Gitte Eriksen, co-pilot Janne Dethlefsen, Chief Maintenance Officer Steve McNeil, and the people of Esbjerg Airport for making this article possible.