In the mid-2000s, the Bristow Group began operating a new generation of twin-engine IFR helicopters to support offshore oil and gas (O&G) exploration and production – the Airbus EC225, Sikorsky S- 76C++, and Sikorsky S-92. To support flight training in these new aircraft, Bristow needed top-of-the-line simulators that ensured a realistic training environment.
Nothing like them existed, and the requirements were strict. The North Sea is an often violent and unforgiving environment, requiring specific and regular procedure and emergency procedure pilot training. The simulators had to be flexible, realistic, and capable of simulating the full range of what the North Sea could throw at the aircraft.
In the end, Bristow chose Frasca to design, certify, manufacture, and install three new type-specific state-of-the-art full flight simulators for Bristow’s North Sea helicopter training center in Aberdeen, Scotland. Since installation in 2010, they have helped Bristow Group develop a true company-wide learning and safety culture. Here’s how…
