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BRISTOWWORLDI S S U E 1 / 2 0 1 4
BRISTOW DELIVERS CONFIDENCE IN FLIGHT THROUGH
EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING
PG 2Bill Chiles to Retire;
Jonathan Baliff Named
Successor as CEO
PG 3Bristow’s Strategic
Investment
in Eastern Airways
PG 6
Bristow Delivers Confidence
in Flight through Excellence
in Engineering
PG 22
Bristow Australia
Exceeding Challenges
Down Under
PG 16Anticipation of SAP
Builds as ‘Go Live’
Date Nears
Offshore workers board a Bristow helicopter after transfer from Eastern Airways.
On February 3, 2014, Bristow Group Inc. announced that William E.
Chiles, President and Chief Executive Officer, would retire from those
positions at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders on July
31, 2014, and be succeeded by Jonathan E. Baliff, Bristow’s Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Following the Annual
Meeting, Mr. Chiles will also step down from the Board of Directors.
He will remain an employee of Bristow Group in a consulting role
through July 31, 2016. It is anticipated that Baliff will be nominated for
election to the Board at the Annual Meeting. The Bristow Group Board
of Directors, the senior management team and Bristow employees
across the world are united in thanking Bill Chiles for bringing Bristow
to where it stands today. His leadership has been instrumental in
delivering excellent performance for the benefit of our shareholders,
creating a collaborative culture, and making Bristow the ethical, safe
and strong company it is today.
Jonathan Baliff joined Bristow as Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer in 2010. As part of the senior management team,
he led teams that created and executed the successful Bristow Value
Added (BVA) implementation throughout the company, a transformation
of the company’s capital allocation strategy. Baliff was also part of the
team that led the successful effort to win the ten-base, £1.5 billion UK
Search and Rescue contract. At NRG Energy Inc., where he served
as Executive Vice President, Strategy, Baliff led the development and
implementation of NRG’s corporate strategy as well as its efforts to drive
top-line growth through acquisitions and business alliances. Before
joining NRG in 2008, he spent 12 years with Credit Suisse, most
recently as Managing Director for the Global Energy Group. Baliff began
his career serving on active duty as an aviator in the U.S. Air Force for
eight years from 1985 to 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree
in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master of Science
in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. With Jonathan at the
helm and surrounded by the extremely talented Bristow team, Bristow
will continue to achieve great things in the years to come.
Tom Knudson
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Bristow Group Inc.
BILL CHILES TO RETIRE JONATHAN BALIFF NAMED SUCCESSOR AS CEO
Jonathan Baliff, Bill Chiles and Tom Knudson
2 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 3
EASTERN AIRWAYS BEGAN LIFE IN 1997, LINKING ITS BASE AT HUMBERSIDE AIRPORT
– O N THE UK’S ENGLISH NORTH SEA COASTLIN E – W ITH ABERDEEN , CENTER OF
OPERATIONS IN THE OIL AND GAS FIELDS ON THE UK CONTINENTAL SHELF.
The airline’s growth since then has been steady, based on a solid
financial base and characterized by careful acquisitions that have
enabled it to establish a strong position in the UK domestic airline
market. With both rail and road providing strong competition in the
relatively compact UK geographic market, Eastern Airways has built
its success by providing high frequency, reliable links aimed at the
premium business travel market, with a distinctive, high quality onboard
service. Today, its customer base comprises predominantly high net
worth individuals, typically key decision-makers in blue chip companies
and businesses in the offshore energy supply chain.
Initially operating 19-seat British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft,
Eastern Airways received its first 29-seat Jetstream 41 three years later,
before acquiring a further 12 such aircraft and associated routes from
British Airways when the national carrier chose to exit the non-trunk UK
regional domestic market.
BRISTOW’S STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN
EASTERN AIRWAYSFEBRUARY 2014 SAW THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT BRISTOW HELICOPTERS LTD HAD ACQUIRED A 60 PERCENT STRATEGIC
INTEREST IN THE UK REGIONAL FIXED-WING CARRIER EASTERN AIRWAYS. IT IS A NATURAL MOVE FOR TWO COMPANIES
WITH EXTENSIVE INTERESTS IN SERVICING THE NEEDS OF THE OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IN UK AND ADJACENT
WATERS. HERE WE LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF EASTERN AIRWAYS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH BRISTOW OVER THE YEARS…
4 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
These aircraft provided the backbone of the Eastern Airways fleet
through its subsequent growth, and the airline now has 18 Jetstream
41s. It conducts 40,000 flights a year, serving more than 20 airports
in the UK, Norway and France, where it operates internal services
from five French airports, including its base at Dijon Bourgogne. Most
recently Eastern Airways opened a second base in France after being
awarded the contract to operate services between Lorient, Brittany,
and Lyon, France’s second largest city. Eastern Airways’ UK scheduled
network is strongly focused on the needs of the offshore oil and gas
industry; however, it also operates other important business links,
such as Newcastle to Birmingham and Cardiff, and its newest service
from Leeds Bradford to Southampton. Eastern Airways’ highly focused
business model has three times earned it Airline of the Year awards
from the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) – one Gold and
two Silver. The airline’s fleet now also includes nine 50-seat Saab 2000
jet-props, two 37-seat Embraer 135 jets and two 50-seat Embraer 145s.
The Jetstream fleet is primarily deployed on the airline’s scheduled
service network, about half of which comprises movements in and
out of the airline’s main operational base at Aberdeen, where Eastern
Airways provides more daily departures than any other carrier. The
second most important operational base is at Newcastle, in North
East England, also an important regional and offshore support center.
The greater number of passengers transiting Aberdeen are working
in the offshore oil and gas industry, transferring to and from Bristow
helicopters to reach offshore platforms in the North Sea. The airline’s
Saab fleet services the high frequency shuttle between Aberdeen
and Scatsta, a forward helicopter embarkation point on the Shetland
Islands, the most northerly part of the UK.
Eastern Airways provides this link on behalf of the oil and gas industry’s
Integrated Aviation Consortium (IAC). In this context it has long been
a close partner with Bristow, which has itself been a key player in
service provision to the IAC since 1994. Currently, Bristow is the lead
management contractor providing helicopter services from Scatsta
Airport to the East and West Shetland Basins, and is also responsible
for airport management and fixed-wing services provided by Eastern
Airways. Recently, Eastern Airways announced another long-term
charter out of Aberdeen, having secured a substantial new contract with
a major oil and gas industry client to provide air services to Sumburgh
Airport, also in Shetland. The contract is for an initial six years and has a
value of more than £30 million. From June 2014, the airline will provide
flights in support of the client’s offshore activities west of Shetland. Two
Jetstream 41 aircraft will initially operate the services, which will then
move to the larger Saab 2000. Bristow already provides associated
helicopter services to this client from Sumburgh.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 5
All this helps to make Eastern Airways the lead supplier of fixed-wing
charter support to the UK’s oil and gas industry, but the airline’s charter
operation is much more extensive, including, as it does, a wide variety
of corporate, sporting and entertainment industry contracts across the
European region. It also operates Saab 2000 aircraft on “wet lease” to
British Airways to operate two routes from the highly specialist London
City Airport, and it provides a shuttle service for a major defense and
aerospace client transporting its
employees between various UK
manufacturing sites.
The airline was rewarded for
its high quality charter service,
being named Best Passenger
Char ter A ir l ine 2011 at the
Baltic Air Charter Association
(BACA) excellence awards, the
industry’s premier accolade.
Running this wide-ranging and
dynamic aviation business demands the employment of some 675 staff,
including those based at Humberside Airport, which is the airline’s
headquarters.
Eastern Airways’ parent company, Eastern Airways International Limited,
acquired Humberside Airport from the Manchester Airports Group
(MAG) in 2012. Humberside is already a departure point for helicopter
operations in the southern North Sea. Starting in 2015, it will become
a new base for the UK Government’s helicopter search and rescue
services, when Bristow takes over that service.
Eastern Airways’ operations
a t H u mb e r s i d e i n c l u d e a
major in-house maintenance
center and flight simulator for
the Jetstream 41, part of the
company’s center of excellence
for pilot training. These are
the physical manifestat ions
of the airline’s focus on safety
management, which has been
geared to meeting the rigorous
requirements of the offshore oil
and gas sector since the airline’s
inception. As those at Bristow know well, these typically exceed those
of civilian regulators. The company has been certified and audited by
major oil and gas clients.
T H E G R E A T E R N U M B E R O F P A S S E N G E R S T R A N S I T I N G ABERDEEN ARE WORKING IN THE OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, TR A N S FER R I N G TO A N D FR O M B R I STO W H ELI C O PTERS .
6 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
BRISTOW DELIVERS CONFIDENCE IN FLIGHT THROUGH
EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERINGBRISTOW HELICOPTERS FLY UNDER SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING CONDITIONS IN THE WORLD. IN HARSH
CLIMATES WITH UNRELENTING HEAT AND UNBEARABLE COLD. OVER GRITTY DESERT SAND, CORROSIVE SEA
WATER AND FIERCELY BLOWING SNOW. ACROSS TREACHEROUS TERRAIN AND LONG STRETCHES OF OPEN
WATER WHERE LANDING JUST ISN’T POSSIBLE. PRECISION PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT IS CRITICAL.
Head of Centralized Engineering (UK) Scott Clark
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 7
WHETHER FLYING CO N DITIO NS ARE EXTREM E OR S IM PLY ROUTIN E, CREWS AN D
PASSENGERS ON A BRISTOW HELICOPTER ARE DEPENDENT UPON THE PRECISION
PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT. TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY, AS WELL AS PEAK
AVAILABILITY AND OPERATING PERFORMANCE OF THE MACHINE, EACH AND EVERY
AIRCRAFT WE FLY NEEDS FREQUENT AND INFALLIBLE MAINTENANCE.
The technical skills and knowledge of maintenance and engineering are
a crucial part of Bristow’s business. They are what keeps our aircraft
airworthy and serviceable – and above all, safe. They allow Bristow to
meet the specific needs of our customers and business units in terms of
aircraft configurations and flying schedules. Quite literally, Bristow could
not fly without the superior work of our technical professionals.
Bristow has nearly 500 aircraft located around the globe with a total
fleet as large as those operated by some commercial airlines. Our
helicopters and their associated inventory of spare parts represent the
biggest capital expenditure of the company. An extensive maintenance
program protects our investment in these intricately technical machines
and keeps them at the ready to serve our customers.
Even before a helicopter rolls off the manufacturing line and we take
delivery, Bristow engineers are involved with the machine’s design and
features. Our technical support program spans from the cradle (and
almost conception) to retirement, overseeing every aspect of how the
aircraft is maintained until we no longer own or operate it.
The maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of helicopters is a highly
regulated business. Civil aviation authorities in various countries and
regions set the standards for how the work must be done – and in all
cases Bristow meets or exceeds the local regulations. In fact, some of
our contributions to helicopter engineering and design have actually set
the bar higher for safety standards and regulations. For example, the
Integrated Health and Usage Monitoring System (IHUMS) developed
by Bristow engineers has become a required safety feature in all
UK-registered offshore transportation helicopters.
The people who maintain aircraft in a safe and airworthy condition
are the backbone of aviation. Approximately one-third of Bristow’s
workforce reports to our maintenance and engineering organizations
around the globe. Here we get to know what these people do and how
their dedication and excellence in engineering contribute to Bristow’s
overall success.
GLOBAL CAPABILITIES WITH LOCAL OPERATIONS
With Bristow having operations all around the world, it’s imperative that
we sustain the same high levels of maintenance capabilities regardless
of how remote the location may be. Typically we perform two levels
of work on our helicopters: routine or line maintenance, and heavy
maintenance.
Executed by the individual business units, line maintenance is something
fairly standard that can be performed on operational aircraft in a matter
of hours or days. This would include something that is routinely planned,
such as a periodic inspection, or some type of minor unplanned repair,
such as replacing a component that has been damaged. These activities
can usually be done at local or regional bases.
Heavy maintenance is an extensive repair or even a complete overhaul
(called a “D check”). This type of service is usually done by the Central
Operating Business Unit (COBU) every four to six years – it’s based on
flying hours – in Aberdeen, Scotland, or New Iberia, Louisiana, in the
United States, although other facilities can provide heavy maintenance
as needed. For a D check, the aircraft is disassembled and taken down
to the bare airframe and refreshed from nose to tail. The aircraft is down
for weeks or months for this major overhaul and comes out at the end
like a new machine.
The heavy maintenance facilities also house various workshops
that provide support functions. For example, in Aberdeen there is
a mechanical workshop, an avionics workshop, a safety equipment
workshop and a composite workshop. We have the capability to
refurbish parts to restore them to a condition ready for use in an aircraft
8 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
again, and the engineers can install modifications for the helicopters
when required. Spare parts are kept in the stores and workshops to be
ready when needed.
As you can imagine, it takes a lot of precise coordination to get all the
people, parts, documentation and aircraft together at the right time, in
the right place, for the right work – all the while minimizing downtime
and inconvenience for our customers.
REGULATORY OVERSIGHT
Virtually every aspect of MRO is highly regulated by local civil aviation
authorities to ensure the safety of everyone transported aboard
our aircraft. Among others, just a few of the numerous government
authorities that oversee our work include the Civil Aviation Safety
Authority in Australia, National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil, European
Aviation Safety Agency, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Civil Aviation
Authority of Norway, Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom and
Federal Aviation Administration of the United States.
The engineers and technicians who perform certain aspects of the
maintenance work must be licensed by their local civil aviation authority.
It’s quite a rigorous process to become licensed. A mechanic applying
for a license typically must have many years of technical education,
hands-on experience in a supervised environment and passing grades
on a series of exams.
A license is only good in its country of origin, meaning that someone
who is licensed in the UK cannot move to the U.S. and immediately
begin work; he must become licensed by the U.S. authority as well. This
makes it challenging for Bristow to move people around from country to
country and requires forethought about staffing when we are opening
maintenance facilities in a new location.
A licensed engineer carries heavy responsibility. When he has completed
a work assignment, his signature on a Certificate of Release to Service
document certifies the airworthiness of the aircraft. He can be held
criminally liable if his actions contribute to, or result in, an incident.
Head of Centralized Engineering (US) Mark Boudreaux and Repair Station Manager Randy Blanchard
TH E M A I NTEN A N C E LEA D ERS H I P
AN D THEIR TEAMS STRIVE EVERY
DAY TO M EET TH E CO M M ERC I A L
NEEDS OF BRISTOW’S CUSTOMERS.
OUR THAN KS TO THESE LEADERS
AND THEIR TEAMS:
• John Wilson
EBU Engineering Manager
• Nick ‘Tufty’ Travers
WASBU Engineering Manager
• Neil Seabrook
AUSBU Engineering Manager
• James Kennedy
NABU Director of Maintenance
• Scott Clark
COBU Head of Engineering (UK)
• Mark Boudreaux
COBU Head of Engineering (US)
• Mark Plunkett
IBU Head of Engineering
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 9
CONFIGURATION CONTROL
In the helicopter transport industry today, a helicopter manufacturer
delivers an aircraft, and the operator customizes and configures it to
suit its specific needs. Those needs can be global or regional, and they
certainly are mission or task specific, such as search and rescue (SAR),
offshore transportation or training. Clients also can specify certain
configurations for the aircraft dedicated to their contracts.
Every aspect of a helicopter’s configuration is tracked in detail. We must
know precisely what components are on the aircraft, where they came
from, and how they have been serviced and maintained. Bristow’s
global and regional Configuration Control and Supply Chain groups help
with tracking this information, which is needed for regulatory purposes
and also for our own knowledge.
Danie Lordan is a Fleet Engineering Specialist and the Business
Process Owner (BPO) for Configuration Control in Aberdeen. He
notes that document management is an important part of his team’s
work. “We have Bristow-generated documents and others from the
manufacturer that instruct the technician precisely what should be
done to maintain and service a specific aircraft. There are Airworthiness
Directives (ADs) and Alert Service Bulletins (ASBs), which can change
frequently, and it’s the job of Configuration Control to ensure our people
are working with the absolute latest versions,” says Lordan.
The regulatory agencies that oversee aviation MRO require that
companies like Bristow maintain an audit trail of reference documents
that have been used for maintenance work orders. According to Lordan,
“If an incident were to occur, the regulators would want to know precisely
which documents were used to direct the work done by the technician.
The engineer signs off on the work he performs and is responsible for
using the most up-to-date documentation available.”
This is one area that is expected to benefit from processes built into
SAP once it goes live later this year. “We plan to use SAP to give the
maintenance staff everything they need,” says Lordan. “They can be
sure that everything they use to do their job is to the latest and greatest
revision and standard. And rather than having the maintenance person
go collect that data by himself, we will put everything out for him so that
all he has to do is familiarize himself with the latest revision to go do the
job.” Lordan says this will save significant time for the engineer and help
him be more productive.
THE UK CAA ANNOUNCES MAJOR CHANGES TO OFFSHORE OPERATIONSThe UK Civ i l Aviat ion Authori t y (CAA) recent ly
announced major changes to the rules governing the
use of helicopters to support the offshore oil and gas
industry. Bristow welcomes the move to improve safety
in the helicopter transport industry. Our engineers stand
at the ready to create modifications and install new
configurations if necessary.
IT Directors Bobby Joseph, Noel Malcaba and Larry Strykowski
IBU Engineering Manager Tim Dobbs
10 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
Also under the purview of Configuration Control is the award-winning
Design Office based in Redhill in the UK. This exceptional group
develops modifications for our helicopter fleet as well as for external
customers. The Design Office has a long history of innovation dating
back to the earliest days of Bristow Helicopters and is recognized for
industry-leading innovations that have become the new benchmarks for
safety in this industry.
Design disciplines include avionics, mechanical installation, structures,
stress analysis and full technical publications. This comprehensive
capability allows us to offer complete service, from concept through all
stages of design, manufacture, installation, test and certification.
The combination of our design capability and long experience with
providing 24-hour SAR helicopter services uniquely qualifies Bristow
as the world leader in creating modifications for this specialist activity,
from providing forward-looking infrared (FLIR) installations to aid with
searching in low visibility conditions to a complete package including
auto-hover, rescue and survival equipment.
“These designs are our intellectual property, so they belong to Bristow,”
says Paul Nouch, Head of Design. “We apply to the regulatory
authorities for an approval for these modifications, which certifies that
they are airworthy. Given that we are a global company, our primary
approval is based in Europe, so all of the things that we do are EASA
(European Aviation Safety Agency) approved; through a bilateral
agreement we can get them FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)
approved in the United States. Our design organization based in the UK
also holds CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) approval for Australia,
so we can get these modifications approved in Europe, the United
States and Australia. From there we pretty much cover most regulatory
authority requirements. We might need some negotiation in other parts
of the world, but if we have had a modification accepted in those three
areas, we can generally get it accepted anywhere else.”
MAINTENANCE PLANNING AND EXECUTION
“It takes a lot of forethought and planning to optimize our maintenance
resources and minimize the downtime of aircraft. We have teams at
both the global and the local levels that do maintenance planning,”
says Ben Reed, Global Maintenance Planning Manager. “Basically we
forecast when maintenance is going to be due and send schedules out
to the business units. We plan for the parts and put a lot of pieces in
place to execute the maintenance,” he continues. “We want to get to
the point where planning is done more globally so the local engineers
can concentrate more on the work at hand rather than planning for the
next upcoming activity. SAP will help us quite a bit in consolidating the
planning at the global level.”
Maintenance planning is complicated by the fact that we operate under
so many different regulatory authorities. According to Reed, “Each
business unit answers to the authorities overseeing that country. Our
International Business Unit (IBU) works under several authorities. Not
only is our work dictated by different rules, but we also have to contend
with the differences in equipment from one location to the next. We’re
going through the process now of trying to standardize this as much as
possible. Ninety percent of the requirements across all our maintenance
organizations are the same, so we spend a lot of time on the remaining
10 percent. We believe that SAP will really help us to drive consistency
in the way we approach maintenance planning.”
Reed says that Bristow’s Target Zero program has had quite an impact
on maintenance workers over the years. “Target Zero has been around
for six or seven years now, and it has really improved the way we work.
For example, from a personal protective equipment (PPE) perspective,
our guys are all cognizant of the need to wear safety shoes, eye
protection and a helmet if they are going to be working from heights.
Target Zero also gives us the right to slow things down or stop work
completely if we see that something isn’t right. We don’t let schedules
override safety.”
TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE
With Bristow’s organic growth and the expansion of our fleet, there’s
a need to bring new people into the maintenance organization. John
Cloggie, Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, is credited
with rekindling the company’s apprenticeship program back in
2005. According to Cloggie, “There are apprenticeship programs
today in Australia, Nigeria and the UK. My experience has been
predominantly in the UK, where we started the first program in
late 2005 and have taken on eight apprentices a year since then
in Europe. In September 2013 we increased that to 20 because
we want to train people from around the UK for Bristow’s UK SAR
organization. At this early stage before we move to full service
SAR delivery, we are putting personnel through a full year training
program, at the end of which they’ll be licensed aircraft engineers
and will certify for their own work.”
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 11
With maintenance as a global activity, one might expect that each
engineer would conduct his work in his native language. Not so, says
Engineering Manager Tim Dobbs. “English is the language of the
aviation world, so to speak. Right now everything we do is essentially
in English. The maintenance manuals are in English, the technical
documents, the bulletins, and so on. I’ve known people that are
not native English speakers who learn the technical part of it without
necessarily having the conversational aspect of the language.”
Dobbs says that SAP can support multiple languages if the company
ever chooses to go that way. “It is not a concern for the moment, but
that is something we can look at as we do expand. Nevertheless the
technical information will still be in English.”
SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT TO AVOID DOWNTIME
Helicopter components are subjected to some of the most demanding
conditions and they are regularly replaced to prevent failure during flight.
Angus Kerr is the Global Supply Chain Director. His team works closely
with the maintenance planning technicians to understand upcoming
needs for parts.
“Supply Chain is responsible for providing purchasing, leasing, renting
and provisioning of parts to meet planned and unplanned requirements,”
says Kerr. “The planned requirements exist because we know you can
fly an engine for only 5,000 hours before you have to change it. So we
know, for example, that in another 1,000 hours we are going to have
to put in a new engine, because this aircraft has already flown 4,000
hours. Supply Chain is responsible for that planned provisioning of
engine components at the right time, at the right place.
“We hold stock and we have an equipment stock system around the
world to meet the unplanned requirements,” continues Kerr. “We
have three hubs – soon to be four – where we keep the bulk of our
parts: New Iberia, Aberdeen, Perth and one coming on in Lagos.
Radiating out from those hubs are bases that we call spokes. We
keep a smaller supply of parts at these bases for line maintenance. In
total, Bristow keeps hundreds of millions of dollars in parts inventory
throughout our hubs and spokes. The intent is to make sure that
aircraft aren’t kept out of service waiting for parts, especially for
unplanned maintenance.”
The Directors of Maintenance and Supply Chain from across global operations met in Houston in March 2014 to plan the implementation of SAP.
12 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
Director of Maintenance Kelley Brandt
Senior Fleet Engineering Specialist Dave Barron
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 13
“Over the next few years, Bristow will begin to have manufacturers hold
the parts in stock for us on consignment as we transition the fleet,” says
Kerr. “This will vastly reduce the amount of inventory we buy and stock
ourselves, although we’ll still keep smaller local inventories to make sure
we always have what we need on hand.”
“The main thing about Bristow’s operations is the focus on safety,” says
Kerr. “Supply Chain contributes to that safety by ensuring that all the
parts we use have certification. When we receive a part, a goods-in
quality inspector reviews it against the requirements to make sure that
it is the right part. We ensure that the parts that we use are only high
quality, fit-for-purpose parts as approved by the manufacturer. We
maintain that process all the way through, so when a part is kept on
a shelf, it has certification so that it is traceable. When it is fitted to an
aircraft, it is still traceable. It is the final responsibility of the engineer to
ensure that the part he is fitting to that aircraft is the right part and is
suitable and is serviceable.”
Mark Becker, Director of Central Operations, focuses on service
delivery for Supply Chain. Becker explains that Bristow recently set up
an Aircraft on Ground (AOG) group that supports the regional business
units 24x7, 365 days a year. “Any part that is going to keep an aircraft
grounded, we start sourcing that part to get it as soon as possible.
This is especially important as we transition to the model of using the
manufacturers as our main source.”
SAP will have a huge impact on Supply Chain processes, according to
Becker. “SAP is going to provide us with more automated tracking of
what we need, what we use, where parts are, and where parts need to
be. This will help us reduce excess and dormant inventory and be more
efficient in planning and purchasing.”
FLEET MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT THROUGH THE AIRCRAFT’S LIFE SPAN
Bristow now has an office dedicated to global fleet management headed
by Nina Jonsson, Global Director of Fleet Management. Jonsson was
recruited for her many years of experience in the fixed-wing world where
fleet management is crucial. Jonsson explains: “Our group handles the
fleet globally and looks at it holistically. We buy the aircraft; we oversee
the configuration of the aircraft and how we want to modify them as
well as how we want to standardize them across the globe. When we
are no longer operating them, we manage the disposal process, either
by selling them, turning them back to a lessor, or parking them and
possibly using them for parts. One of our major undertakings right now
is to simplify our fleet,” she continues. “We are moving aggressively to
as few as eight fleet types over the next five years. We already know
what we’re going to be buying that will comprise our long-term fleet.”
Jonsson spent her first year on the job convincing people of the benefits
of reducing the fleet types in use. “If we simplify the fleet, we reduce
complexity and introduce standardization. It helps us to standardize
processes. It makes the aircraft more interchangeable globally, so we
can move them around the world to support different contracts. We
can use our workforce more productively. And it makes us better able
to address any sort of tactical short-term needs because we eliminate
the extra effort to support all of these different configurations and fleet
types. About 20 percent of our operations have short-term tactical
– and potentially large – contracts at play. We have to maintain that
entrepreneurial nimbleness. If we have everything standardized, we
can focus our resources more intelligently on these strategic short-term
opportunities.”
Bristow now has two representatives at the manufacturers’ locations –
one in Europe and the other in the U.S. Jonsson explains: “They interact
with the production team on a daily basis, following aircraft on the
production line to ensure the helicopters are built to our requirements
and standards. These people are the face of Bristow to the manufacturer
so the manufacturer doesn’t have to make 50 different phone calls
to get questions answered.” Jonsson says the U.S. representative is
in place at Sikorsky, but also handles the AgustaWestland facility in
Philadelphia. The representative in Europe resides at AgustaWestland in
Italy, but also handles Airbus Helicopters in France.
14 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
Standardization doesn’t mean Bristow is giving up features or
capabilities. “We are analyzing the modifications we typically do to our
aircraft all around the globe, and we are asking our manufacturers to
incorporate those needs before we take delivery,” explains Jonsson.
“Eventually what we want to do is just get the aircraft ready off the
production line. We pick up the keys and start flying our revenue flights.
It is going to take us a while to get there, but that is the effort that is
under way.”
To reduce the risk of exposure to having one type of aircraft grounded
for a period of time, Bristow is selecting multiple manufacturers that can
deliver light, medium and heavy categories of aircraft. “We’re mindful
of the recent grounding of the EC225s and the impact of taking those
aircraft out of service for a while, but a situation like that is a rarity in this
business,” Jonsson says. “That only happens once or twice in a lifetime.
Still, we have to plan for it and mitigate our risk of a grounding.”
In 2013, a new Global Fleet Support group was created, consisting of
more than 50 staff based in four locations around the world with the
two central hubs in Aberdeen and New Iberia. Team members include
aircraft technical specialists who support each aircraft, engine type and
HUMS system, maintenance programmers and document controllers
to track certification and technical records. Fleet Support reviews all
incoming service bulletins (SBs) and technical documentation, while
issuing technical directives and providing support on maintenance
programs and reliability. Russell Gould, Head of Fleet Support, explains
how the team provides technical support and ensures the continued
airworthiness of the fleet. “This is the true engineering side of the
business and the focal point for all technical issues,” he says. “We are
a liaison to the airframe and engine manufacturers and strive to work
with the manufacturers before the aircraft are in production. We’re
also involved in a number of industry working groups to help provide
operator feedback, which is used to develop future modifications and
improved maintenance regimes.”
BRISTOW CULTURE OF SAFETY, TRAINING
Every major helicopter transportation services company has to perform
maintenance to keep its aircraft operating safely and efficiently. Most
of the tasks that must be performed are standardized due to industry
regulations. It’s the Bristow people who are dedicated to what they
do – going above and beyond the minimum requirements every day –
that are helping Bristow on its journey toward operational excellence.
Cloggie attributes it, in part, to the superior training Bristow provides
its employees. “I worked for a fixed-wing company, and I worked for the
three major offshore helicopter companies, and in each case Bristow
exceeds the training others provide in a dramatic way,” he says.
Target Zero certainly contributes to the positive attitudes that Bristow
employees are known for. Engineers know they can take the time to do
the job right the first time because safety is valued above everything
else. “Before I started working for Bristow,” says Lordan, “I had a
chief engineer that told me something very interesting. He said, ‘If you
haven’t got the time to do the job properly the first time, where will you
find the time to fix the mistakes?’ That’s a very good philosophy to start
off with, and Bristow people observe it every day.”
“ I F W E S I M P L I F Y T H E F L E E T , W E
REDUCE CO M PLEXITY AN D I NTRODUCE
STA N D A R D IZAT I O N . I T H ELP S U S TO
STA N D A R D IZE P RO C ES S ES . IT M A K ES
THE AIRCRAFT MORE INTERCHANGEABLE
G LO B A LLY, S O W E C A N M O V E T H E M
A R O U N D T H E W O R L D T O S U P P O R T
DIFFERENT CONTRACTS.” – NINA JONSSON,
GLOBAL DIRECTOR OF FLEET MANAGEMENT
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 15
BRISTOW ENGINEERS RISE ABOVE EXPECTATIONS
BRISTOW EM PLOYEES CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN IS TYPICALLY ASKED OF THEM, AND OUR ENGINEERS CERTAINLY EXEMPLIFY THAT ATTITUDE. HERE ARE JUST A FEW CASES WHERE BRISTOW ENGINEERS SOAR HIGH.
ACCELERATING AN AIRCRAFT’S RETURN TO SERVICE
When a Bell 407 aircraft based in Escravos, Nigeria, was
declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG) for a replacement igniter
box, no one expected to be told that the replacement lead time
would be 240 days. Instead of accepting the eight months of
downtime, engineer Juan Olivier took on the challenge of
finding an alternative solution. Olivier reviewed all three volumes
of the Commercial Engine Bulletins (CEBs) held at Escravos.
Then he scoured online for the CEBs available from Rolls-Royce
until he found the data needed to modify the aircraft to accept
a readily available igniter box. Locating the required parts and
performing the modification took a total of six days, meaning
Olivier’s initiative and dedication saved the client more than 230
days of downtime.
READY TO ANSWER A CALL FOR HELP
Since 1998 Bristow in Australia has provided and operated
rotary-wing services from Barrow Island to drilling rigs and
vessels in support of offshore drilling campaigns, including
Chevron’s Gorgon Project. Bristow also manages the Barrow
Island Airport and provides the ground handling service.
Barrow Island Engineer in Charge Simon Paplos (see photo
page 23) oversees a highly skilled team that is responsible
for maintaining the helicopters used for the Gorgon Project.
“It’s vital to the whole operation that the helicopters are kept
serviceable so the offshore crew get to where they need to be,”
says Paplos. “The engineers, stores and ramp staff continue to
provide a complete professional package that sees us through
the most difficult times, pulling together to provide the best
possible outcome – namely safe aircraft.” Prioritization plays
a big role and game plans are always fluid, which requires a
team that communicates on a high level between engineering
and operations, which is a valued and integral part of the team.
“The Pilot in Charge and I complete the package with regular
discussions on a daily and sometimes hourly basis to ensure
his pilots have the availability of aircraft for the client program,”
Paplos continues.
The team regularly participates in winch training exercises in
anticipation of a situation where someone on a vessel or life raft
requires medical support and evacuation. As part of operational
requirements, the engineers and ramp staff are prepared to
transport the patient to an appropriate medical facility. Jeremy
Randolph, Barrow Island Airport Manager, says the aerodrome
operation relies on the engineers and ramp staff to keep up
the rotary aspect of the operation day in and day out to meet
client requirements. “The engineers work day and night shifts to
ensure this happens and play an integral part in the success of
the contract,” he says.
“IT TAKES A LOT OF FORETHOUGHT AND PLANNING
TO OPTIMIZE OUR MAINTENANCE RESOURCES AND
MINIMIZE THE DOWNTIME OF AIRCRAFT. WE HAVE
TEAMS AT BOTH THE GLOBAL AND THE LOCAL LEVELS
THAT DO MAINTENANCE PLANNING.” – BEN REED,
GLOBAL MAINTENANCE PLANNING MANAGER.
16 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
ANTICIPATION OF SAP BUILDS AS
‘GO LIVE’ DATE NEARSBRISTOW IS MOVING TOWARD THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS MARKET-LEADING SAP BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
APPLICATION. THE FIRST PHASE IS EXPECTED TO LAUNCH IN OCTOBER AND WILL BEGIN A NEW ERA IN BRISTOW’S
ABILITY TO MANAGE ITS HELICOPTER BUSINESS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Tessie Hebert, IT Lead for Data Migration, updates key stakeholder engagement planning charts related to the SAP implementation.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 17
WITH THE INITIAL FOCUS ON FINANCIAL AND SUPPLY CHAIN PROCESSES, A DEDICATED
TEAM O F BUS I N ESS PROCESS OW N ERS ( BPOs ) AN D SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
(SMEs) HAS BEEN WORKING TO CONSTRUCT A SOLUTION THAT WILL STREAMLINE AND
STANDARDIZE PROCESSES ACROSS THE COMPANY, BRINGING EFFICIENCIES AND
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE REALIZED BY EMPLOYEES, CLIENTS AND SUPPLIERS.
Chief Accounting Officer Brian Allman described the willingness of
employees to take on this monumental task. “We needed to be able to
pull people away from their regular jobs to do this, and with the level of
effort and extended travel required, it’s easy to expect some reluctance.
But our reality was the opposite. People wanted to be engaged and
be part of something that is the future of our company. The levels of
dedication and pure ownership I’ve seen during this transition to
SAP have been fantastic,” he says. “People were willing to leave their
comfort zones and take on
a critical project for Bristow
and make sure we ge t
there.”
F o r A l l m a n , w h o s e
responsibilities range from
reporting to the SEC and
inves to r s to regula to r y
comp l i ance , audi t and
accounting policies, SAP
provides the required degree of risk management and automation
of internal controls that ensure accuracy and reduce the burden on
employees. “We have a lot of smart and dedicated people who can do
more for Bristow once we move away from manual controls and take
advantage of SAP’s automation,” he says.
“SAP WILL ADVANCE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
B EC A U S E IT W I LL G I V E P EO P LE T I M E TO
FOCUS ON CRITICAL BUSINESS MATTERS AND
ACTIVITIES THAT ADD VALUE.” – BRIAN ALLMAN,
CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER
MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Mark Long, Director, Financial and Reporting Systems, and a veteran
of multiple SAP implementations during his career, has been working
with all of Bristow’s business units across every finance process and
says the project is on track to debut in October. “We’ve taken our
business requirements and are configuring the system to meet those
requirements, building any Bristow-specific solutions that may not be
included in the standard functionality,” he says. “As the SAP project
has progressed, more and
more ownership has been
picked up by the BPOs, and
now this is moving further
out into the organization as
the business unit Business
Re a d i n e s s Te a m s a r e
starting to drive deliverables.
That’s where we need to be.”
Long ’s SAP exper ience
helps keep things running smoothly when a roadblock appears and
anxiety levels rise. “The problems we encounter are just part of the
natural progression of an SAP project, and it helps to know where the
hazards are,” he says.
Bristow Finance BPOs and SMEs in Houston
“ T H E R E I S A LO T O F G O O D W I LL A N D P R ES T I G E
ASSOCIATED WITH SAP. THE FACT THAT BRISTOW HAS
M ADE TH IS TRAN S ITIO N SAYS THAT W E ARE A B IG
PLAYER.” – DEREK DIEDERICKS, FINANCE CONTROLLER,
WEST AFRICA BUSINESS UNIT
18 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
Also advising on the project is
North America Business Unit
Controller Margie LeBlanc,
who notes that everyone on
Bristow’s f inance team will
be impacted by SAP and that
being proactive in engaging
people about what’s going on
has generated a lot of interest
and a welcoming at t i tude
toward the arrival of SAP. “Sure, there will be change, but it’s change
that will help us achieve operational excellence and be best in class,”
she says. “There are costs on the front end, but this is a tool that will
make a difference and help us grow Bristow Value Added (BVA).”
THE VALUE OF SAP
In presentations to colleagues about SAP, West Africa Business Unit
(WASBU) Finance Controller Derek Diedericks stresses that the
plat form’s value l ies in i ts
capabilities as a fully integrated
system. “Finance is just the
beginning,” he says. “Once
the other SAP modules are
implemented, we will have a
complete business solution
that w i l l announce to our
clients, vendors and investors
that we are a big player.”
As there are multiple operating and support units in Nigeria due to a mix
of government regulations and legacy structures, Diedericks says they
are facing a number of unique challenges in relation to SAP, but he’s
confident that each one will be resolved. “SAP can handle it,” he says.
“SAP offers a lot more flexibility than our current reporting system, and
that will improve our planning, forecasting and managing capabilities
and lead to better financial results.”
“HAVING AN INSTANT VIEW ACROSS THE ENTIRE
ENTERPRISE OF ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL DATA WILL
BE SO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE NOW. IT
WILL BE LIFE CHANGING.” – MARK LONG, DIRECTOR,
FINANCIAL AND REPORTING SYSTEMS
BPO and Director of Global Supply Chain Angus Kerr and IT Lead for Electronic Publications Don Braun take part in the “BPO Cadence” week, a monthly meeting in Houston during which Bristow BPOs and IT leads from across the company gather to receive training, discuss key activities, and ratify decisions.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 19
He’s also looking forward to having a true business-to-business solution
at his fingertips. “It’s a strategic advantage because our key clients
and suppliers are running SAP, and we’ll be able to directly integrate
with their SAP platforms in the future,” Diedericks says. That means
important information like revenue flight data can be pushed directly
from Bristow to a client or supplier and vice versa. This will eliminate
the need for the manual documentation, scanning and emailing that
bog down the current system. “Our day-to-day operations will be a
lot smoother and quicker, and this will make for better relationships
between all of us,” Diedericks says.
SAP PERSPECTIVES : BUSINESS PROCESS OWNERS
Business Process Owners (BPOs) are the single point of contact for
a business process area. Over the course of the SAP implementation,
they will help define global requirements, design new business
processes, align or modify the organization to support the new business
processes, and ensure the successful deployment and adoption of
these processes. Global Supply Chain Director and Supply Chain BPO
Angus Kerr in Aberdeen says he expects to see a big improvement in
the time-consuming process of matching purchasing orders to invoices.
“Four different elements have to match, and if they don’t, there is a lot
of back and forth between Supply Chain and Finance to resolve the
issue,” he says. “When we have these activities matched seamlessly
with SAP, we will be able to devote more time to purchasing more
effectively.” Another big improvement area will be in inventory, with
parts more clearly categorized and instantly matched with their aircraft
type. “The ability to manipulate inventory data better will make our
overall operations more effective,” Kerr says. “We will be able to improve
support for our aircraft at the bases and have the proper inventory on
hand in advance for greater availability.”
Controlling Profitability Analysis BPO Michael Shaffer in Houston is
working with BPO Matthew Walker in Redhill on significant changes
related to profit centers. The outgoing system is based on locations,
where revenue and expenses are recorded in the aggregate and
not broken down by particular services such as oil and gas, search
and rescue, fixed-wing or training. Profit centers within SAP will be
categorized by services provided and offer much greater detail. “We’ll
no longer have just a single view, but will be able to look at revenues and
costs associated with each line of service,” Shaffer says. “More robust
reporting that is easily categorized will help us analyze information better
and get the answers we need to run our businesses more effectively.”
Brian Allman and Jonathan Baliff, Bristow’s next president and CEO (pink shirt), regularly meet with Bristow Finance BPOs and SMEs to address ongoing SAP activities.
20 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
A major consideration for Shaffer and his team throughout the SAP
process is to factor in Bristow’s growth in the years ahead. “We always
want to be thinking about the future and design something that will give
us the capabilities we need as our business changes,” he says. “It’s not
just what we can do today but what we can do in the future.”
“WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE
FUTURE AND DESIGN SOMETHING THAT WILL
GIVE US THE CAPABILITIES WE NEED AS OUR
BUSINESS CHANGES.” – MICHAEL SHAFFER,
BUSINESS PROCESS OWNER, CONTROLLING
PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS
Contract-to-Cash/Accounts Receivable BPO Tami Butcher in New
Iberia spent the last year and a half working with subject matter experts
(SMEs) to gain an understanding of every type of contract Bristow has
with its clients and develop a standardized, global invoice format. She
says the daunting task is nearing completion. “We’re just starting to
see the end product,” Butcher says. “We expect it will make us more
efficient with the increased automation in areas such as matching bank
files with invoices. It’s a big endeavor, but SAP will bring efficiency and
stability to our systems.”
Accounts Payable BPO Amy Eynon in Redhill is working with SAP IT
project teams and SMEs to review invoice processing and create one
global process that lets managers and directors approve and process
invoices from wherever they are in the world.
“The current process is extremely manual, with paper invoices and
delegations of approval that are all done by hand or email,” she says.
“The new system puts all of the documents into an online portal that
can be accessed electronically anywhere, anytime.” Training on the
new system is expected to begin in June, and Eynon says the Accounts
Payable group is looking forward to the improvements SAP will bring.
“There is a bit of trepidation, but everyone is ready to move away from
these manual processes and gain a higher level of efficiency.”
General Ledger BPO Sara Jones in New Iberia has the unique
perspective of being at the end of every process stream, since all
financial postings – from invoicing to moving inventory to maintenance
costs – end up in the general ledger. “That’s why we expect to see the
biggest improvements and changes coming from the other processes
that downstream into the general ledger,” she says. “But we’ll also see
the benefits of fewer paper and manual processes with more accurate
and timely reporting.”
The big challenge for Jones and her team is transitioning the chart of
accounts – representing every account on the balance sheet or income
statement – and maintaining it going forward in SAP. “There is always
a need for a new or modified general ledger account, so it’s a moving
target and there is always work to be done,” she says. With training
materials in development, Jones says the excitement over SAP “go live”
is on the rise. “Our team is embracing the arrival of SAP,” she says. “We
all have a lot of time and energy invested in the project, and we all want
to see it succeed. It has been a great experience and the entire SAP
project team has been fun to work with. We just push through the tough
moments and keep going.”
PLANNING
PROJ
ECT
PHAS
E
BLUEPRINT REALIZATION
WE ARE HERESAP PROGRAM PLAN TO GO LIVE
OCTOBER 2012 OCTOBER 2014
GO LIVE
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 21
Finance BPOs and SMEs met in Houston in March 2014 to discuss new SAP processes.
Manager, Global Consolidations and General Ledger Services Sara Jones
22 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
BRISTOW AUSTRALIA
EXCEEDING CHALLENGES DOWN UNDER AT 5 :00 A.M. ON ANY WEEKDAY, PERTH AIRPORT IS A SEA OF FLUORESCENT WORK WEAR AS AUSTRALIA’S UNIQUE FIFO
WORKFORCE HEADS TO MINES AND RIGS HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM HOME.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 23
BRISTOW TRANSPORTS FIFO WORKERS
Australia’s total FIFO population is estimated to be up to 160,000.
Approximately 4,500 work offshore, with 65 percent catching a
Bristow helicopter to reach their destination. In fact, each year Bristow
undertakes more than 100,000 passenger journeys to get people to
their final work destination, and this has grown in line with the resource
boom that has kept Australia largely insulated from the global market
downturn. Bristow’s Australia Business Unit (AUSBU) is expecting the
number of passengers to increase as much as 25 percent next year.
AUSBU is also expanding capacity, with Sikorsky S-92s extending the
current fleet count to 28.
Established with its own Air Operators Certificate (AOC) in 1967,
AUSBU overcomes challenges including the logistical issues that go with
vast distances, harsh natural conditions – cyclones and extreme heat
are common – and a very high cost operating environment. AUSBU’s
headquarters is in Perth, with a population of 1.9 million. Known as
the world’s most isolated city, Perth is located more than 1,300 miles
(2,090 km) from the nearest urban center that has a population over
100,000, and more than 2,600 miles (4,180 km) from AUSBU’s most
remote helicopter base in Oakey, Queensland.
Bristow Engineer Jim Tawns was recently presented a Certificate of Safety Excellence by Director Allan Blake. Award programs are a key part of Bristow’s pursuit of operational excellence.
For clients, Bristow’s commitment to operational excellence is a major
drawing card. “We don’t just say we’re going to deliver operational
excellence. We actively prove it, by providing measurements on
safety, on-time departures, helicopter availability and the speed of our
response,” explains AUSBU Director Allan Blake.
TRAVEL AGENCY COORDINATES FIXED-WING AND HELICOPTER TRANSPORT
Bristow has no helicopters at the Perth headquarters, so passengers
board fixed-wing aircraft in Perth and fly to Bristow helicopter bases
closer to their ultimate destination. These bases are located around
Australia; Karratha, Exmouth, Barrow Island, Broome and Darwin are
just a few of the far-reaching centers of AUSBU’s helicopter operations.
Bristow Travel, led by Daniel Bowden, opened in November 2013 and
handles the booking of fixed-wing aircraft and the scheduling of helicopter
flights, offering clients a “one stop shop” travel solution. Bristow not only
books flights from Perth to its bases, but also tags passengers’ bags at
Perth Airport and weighs them, so passengers need not pick up and
re-check their baggage when arriving at heliports. This added convenience
means the helicopter manifests are ready to go by the time the passengers
board, significantly reducing processing times and turnarounds.
FIFO STANDS FOR FLY- IN-FLY-OUT, AND IT IS STANDARD PRACTICE IN THE AUSTRALIAN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY FOR
EVERYONE, FROM CLEANERS AND MACHINERY OPERATORS TO SPECIALIST ENGINEERS, TO TRAVEL TO THEIR WORKPLACE BY
AIR, LIVE ON-SITE FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, FLY HOME FOR A BREAK AND THEN DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. WHILE OTHER NATIONS
FLY SPECIALISTS IN FROM TIME TO TIME, AUSTRALIA’S RESOURCE PROVINCES ARE SO REMOTE AND SPARSELY POPULATED
THAT ALMOST ALL WORKERS INVOLVED IN THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION ARE EMPLOYED ON A FIFO BASIS.
AUSBU Engineer in Charge Simon Paplos oversees the team responsible for maintaining helicopters for the Gorgon Project (see story on page 15).
24 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
Bristow Travel Pty Ltd is a fully International Air Transport Association
(IATA) accredited travel agency, booking travel directly on the Sabre
global distribution system. Bristow Travel offers a 24x7, 365 days a year
service to clients and is crucial to the total service offering, allowing for
the seamless coordination of clients’ staff from home to offshore facility
and back home again.
CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT REQUIRES EXTENSIVE TRAINING, SKILLS
International collaboration and training reinforce the Bristow global
safety ethos within Australia. Australian cadet pilots are part of the
SureTrack scheme, in which qualified candidates can undertake a
two-year program in the U.S., including nine months of training to
obtain their commercial pilot license at the internationally recognized
Bristow Academy in Florida.
AUSBU boasts a team of 116 pilots. Most are highly experienced –
those with more than 30 years’ flying for AUSBU include Bob Turner,
Steve Pearson, Doug Palermo, Tim Wood, Tony Ferris and Jack Ward.
AUSBU INTRODUCES SIKORSKY S-92S TO ITS FLEET
AUSBU operates a diverse fleet of 28 aircraft. Models flown include the
Airbus Helicopters EC225, Airbus Helicopters AS332L, AgustaWestland
AW139, Sikorsky S-76C++, Kawasaki BK-11B2 and the latest addition, two
Sikorsky S-92s, recently joined by two more. The first two Sikorsky S-92s
were flown in on a Russian Antonov 124 from the U.S. through Darwin
and then on to the Royal Australian Air Force’s Curtin base late last year.
“To use a military base for foreign civilian craft required that we obtain
permission from The Department of Defence in Canberra,” says
Logistics Manager David Wollage. From Curtin, the S-92s were trucked
to Bristow’s base in Broome in Western Australia, where they were
reassembled. In addition to being a popular tourist and pearling town,
Broome also serves as an oil and gas industry hub.
Wollage and his team – with the help of Bristow’s central supply chain
in Aberdeen, UK – have been working to ensure the thousands of new
spare parts and equipment required to support the aircraft are at hand.
Logistics Manager David Wollage and his team have played a key role in the successful introduction of the Sikorsky S-92 into the Bristow Australia fleet.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 25
Project Engineer Max Beattie has been responsible for creating all the
new manuals needed, while Pilot Craig Harrington has spearheaded
the flying side of things.
AUSBU PIONEERS INDUSTRY BREAKTHROUGH WITH ITS STERILE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
One innovation in AUSBU’s operations that is attracting interest is
a new Sterile Maintenance Program. “This program ensures that
engineers have a quiet environment, absolutely free of interruption
or distraction from colleagues or visitors, when they are undertaking
safety-critical tasks,” says Neil Seabrook, AUSBU Engineering Manager
who led the development of the initiative, which the engineering staff
themselves detailed. “As part of our Target Zero safety goals, we hope
to prevent incidents where interruptions and disturbances could cause
potential issues. When these safety-critical maintenance tasks are
being performed, other staff must stay on marked walkways and hold
any discussions with teammates away from the hangar. We post signs
prominently to advise people that sterile maintenance is in progress.”
Engineer in Charge at Bristow’s largest base in Karratha, Kenny May
says the program formalizes and strengthens their existing methods of
preventing the “bugbear” of distraction in the hangar.
R U OK? PROGRAM SUPPORTS SAFETY, EMPLOYEE MORALE
Bristow’s aircrew and engineers are also on FIFO rosters. Pilots,
engineers and logistics, operational and airport staf f fly to their
helicopter bases, where they work their “swing” – sometimes up to 12
hours a day for two weeks – before heading home for two weeks’ leave.
For those who can find the time and energy, some of the bases are
in extraordinary environments. The most notable is Exmouth, home to
the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, which is famed for its easily
accessible coral and for whale sharks, which are the world’s largest fish
at over 40 feet (12 meters) in length – no threat to humans.
May lives in Adelaide, almost 2,485 miles (4,000 km) away from his
Karratha workplace. His commute to the remote Western Australian
town takes 19 hours door-to-door, including an overnight stop in Perth.
“Working FIFO has its challenges but, for me, the advantages outweigh
the disadvantages,” he says. A recent initiative to house staff together in
a central location has reduced personal problems among staff, who had
previously suffered from isolation.
Bristow employees take part in R U OK? Day, an annual event that emphasizes the value of reaching out to one another.
“The climate is so ferocious, you wouldn’t want to walk anywhere even if
it’s only a few kilometers away,” he says. In summer, the temperature in
Karratha has been known to top 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 degrees
centigrade), while cyclones also bring strong wind and rain. “It’s made
a huge difference for the guys to be close to shops, to a coffee and to
workmates.”
The Human Resources Department is tasked with recruiting employees
to fuel the growing business. Bristow Australia recruits most of its staff
locally. Its outstanding reputation makes the company an employer of
choice, recently attracting 800 applicants for First Officer positions.
Human Resources Coordinator Kylie Cardinal acknowledges that
working FIFO can place additional strain on employees and their
immediate families – even when employees have time off between
rosters. “We have a formal Employee Assistance Program for employees
and their families, and we take part annually as a company in R U OK?
Day, which emphasizes the value of reaching out to colleagues.
“I believe Bristow was the first company to expand the R U OK? Program
beyond Australia to its other business units. We have sponsored the
creation of an R U OK? Afield web resource, to promote meaningful
conversations among all employees, co-workers, family and friends.”
26 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
AUSBU’S CLIENTS ARE GLOBAL OIL AND GAS, OILFIELD SERVICE COMPANIES
Some of AUSBU’s more recent contract wins are as large in scale as the
country in which it operates, as the business unit supports the major oil
and gas and oilfield services companies working in the region.
This year AUSBU won a significant eight-year contract to support
the development of the Ichthys Field and the construction of a
550-mile (885 km) gas pipeline from the field to onshore processing
facilities in the remote north of Western Australia. In order to deliver,
AUSBU will need to recruit additional staff and ensure more hours
of additional aircraft availability a year, while continuing to deliver on
other clients’ goals.
Australian bases might be geographically far apart, but they share a
common approach and culture as part of the international Bristow
network – with an emphasis on safety, operational excellence, reliability
and customer service.
“Whether you’re in the tropics of the remote northwest or being buffeted
by the cold winds of the Bass Strait thousands of kilometers away in the
southeast, you’ll find Bristow team members working together with a
consistent, united approach to support each other and our operations,”
says Blake.
AUSBU GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR CLIENTS
During the 2014 New Year period, Tropical Cyclone Christine hit
Australia’s northwest coast, threatening the safety of workers aboard
offshore rigs. Over a five-day period, Bristow transported nearly 2,000
passengers off the de-manned rigs, with no reportable incidents during
the evacuation or subsequent redeployment.
The passengers were flown out from bases in Barrow Island, Broome,
Exmouth and Karratha, where staff were forced to bunker down without
power and where a recently built AUD$7 million (US$6.3 million)
hangar suffered storm damage. A wide variety of aircraft were involved
in the evacuation / demobilization.
Bristow Australia bases might be far apart, but they are united by their common pursuit of operational excellence and a commitment to achieving Target Zero.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 27
BRISTOW DEFENCE INDUSTRIES PROVIDES MAINTENANCE, LOGISTICS SUPPORT
Since 1998, Bristow Defence Industries (BDI), a part of AUSBU, has
provided maintenance and logistics support from its base at Oakey,
Queensland, servicing Super Puma helicopters from the Republic of
Singapore Air Force fleet. BDI has a regular staff of 70 engineering,
support and management personnel. It contributes to local skills
development with an apprentice training program in the aeroskills,
avionics and mechanical trades.
BDI has participated for 15 years in an annual military exercise
conducted by the Singapore Armed Forces in the military training area
at Shoal Water Bay in central Queensland, Australia. The exercise varies
in size, but can involve land, sea and air elements, inclusive of heavy
lift helicopters and various fixed-wing aircraft. During the exercise,
BDI supported more than 450 flying hours with no injuries to staff. In
addition to transporting those participating in the exercise, BDI staff also
manned a 24/7 SAR capability within the exercise area of operations.
BRISTOW AUSTRALIA BUSINESS UNIT
EMPLOYEES : 481
FLEET: 28
EARNINGS : ABOUT 13 PERCENT OF THE BRISTOW GROUP’S GLOBAL REVENUE
PASSENGER JOURNEYS PER YEAR: 100,000
FLIGHT HOURS : OVER 10,800 IN 2013
BRISTOW EMPLOYEE HELPS SICK CHILDREN WITH BRISTOW UPLIFT
AUSBU’s commitment to local communities has come full circle in
recent months – serving as a very strong reminder to all about the value
of Bristow Uplift. In December 2013, Blake presented a AUD$13,000
(US$11,600) check to an innovative charity that makes dreams
possible for some of Australia’s sickest children. The donation was used
to grant wishes for two children during the Christmas holiday.
In the last two years, AUSBU has formed a strong partnership with the
Starlight Children’s Foundation. Employees regularly donate their time
volunteering and hosting fundraising days.
Bristow employee Glenn Scott knows firsthand what it’s like to suffer
cancer as a child – and the special comfort that comes from having
a wish granted by the local charity, the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
The 21-year-old is now a ground handler at the airport Bristow manages
on Barrow Island, off Western Australia.
“I had just turned nine and felt pretty sick at school one day. Within three
days my stomach was huge and I was gaining weight even though I
wasn’t eating. Obviously, something was wrong,” Glenn recalls. “After
the results from numerous tests came back, the hospital called my
family late one night with the news. It happened so quickly. I’d gone
from kicking the footy (Australian oval-shaped football) with the boys
one day, to being in hospital a couple of days later.”
Glenn spent the next year in hospital in Western Australia receiving
chemotherapy. It was an exceptionally difficult period for him and his
family. Soon after his treatment was completed, the foundation granted
Glenn his ultimate wish – a family holiday to visit Australia’s Gold Coast
and its theme parks – an unforgettable event for the family that helped
them regroup and enjoy themselves after a horrendous year.
When Glenn discovered that his employer would be teaming up with the
charity as part of Bristow Uplift, he relished the opportunity to give other
families battling childhood cancer the same opportunity. To raise funds,
Glenn and some of his colleagues spent their work breaks painting
the airport purple and selling raffle tickets for a signed jersey from
the popular Dockers Australian Football League team to passengers.
Recently, AUSBU pilots and engineers spent several hours entertaining
the young patients and their siblings at Perth’s leading children’s
hospital, helping the children to build “flying machines” and being
interviewed for a television show broadcast around the hospital.
“It was a wonderful experience to be able to bring them some fun,
joy and laughter. I am keen to do it again,” said Senior First Officer
Tang Tong Seng.
As a cancer survivor, Ground Handler Glenn Scott has a personal connection to AUSBU’s support of the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
28 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
NEWS
BRIEFS
AUSBU RECEIVES CLIENT AWARDBristow employees in Australia were presented an Appreciation Award
for Safety and Progress by a client. Both the client’s Person in Charge
and Interface Manager were on hand to personally recognize the
Bristow employees’ operational efforts, daily medevacs, cyclone down-
mans and up-mans, and late flights. During the award presentation,
they referred to Bristow’s operations as crucial to the success of their
project. They highlighted the Bristow employees that work tirelessly
behind the scenes, continually chipping away with upbeat spirits and
energy. They also thanked the employees for their strong commitment
to ensuring the safety of all the passengers.
IN SUPPORT OF FLEET STRATEGY, BRISTOW COMPLETES SALE OF 28 BELL 206-L4 AIRCRAFT
In alignment with Bristow’s long-term fleet strategy and to meet clients’
future demands for aircraft that can service increasingly deeper water
exploration and production, Bristow has completed the sale of its entire
fleet of 28 Bell 206-L4 aircraft. Over the next five years, Bristow will
reduce the number of fleet and sub-fleet types to as few as eight.
Bristow employees in Australia were presented an Appreciation Award for Safety and Progress by a client who referred to Bristow’s operational contributions as crucial to the success of the project.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 29
EBU PROVIDES SEAMLESS SUPPORT TO CLIENTBristow employees at the Aberdeen base received positive feedback
from a client for their recent support of offshore flights for UK Prime
Minister David Cameron, senior officials and a supporting press team.
In a letter addressed to Bristow, the client wrote, “I would like to thank
Bristow and all the staff involved in making the flights over the past few
days a huge success. I know there is a lot of hard work and indeed
dedication that goes into the arrangements of these flights, and this
was demonstrated over the last few days. It was a really commendable
team performance from all parties, which our Company and myself very
much appreciate. Please thank every member of your staff involved in
making this trip a success.”
BILL CHILES RECOGNIZED FOR SAFETY LEADERSHIP AT CHC SAFETY SUMMIT
Bristow President and CEO Bill Chiles was recognized for his leadership
in the helicopter transport industry at the 10th Annual CHC Safety
Summit in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In his opening-
day keynote remarks, CHC President and CEO Bill Amelio asked
participants to join him in extending “heartfelt thanks” to Bill on his
upcoming retirement.
“Bill embodies an ideal for which I have been a constant advocate: to
ascend to a higher level of safety created and shared by the industry, for
the industry and, ultimately, for the people who we serve and who we
ask to serve.
“It is with great respect that I acknowledge Bill as an honorable
competitor – but even more, as an enthusiastic partner in creating and
advancing an enduring legacy of safety for our industry.
“I salute Bill’s leadership in helping to show the way for rotary-wing
aviation and other industries to follow.”
SAR PILOT AWARDED FLEET COMMANDER COMMENDATIONOne of Bristow Helicopters’ UK search and rescue team members
based in Sumburgh, Roger Stringer has been awarded a Fleet
Commander Commendation in recognition of his 30 years’ contribution
to the Royal Naval and military aviation. He was presented with the
award at a ceremony in Portsmouth by Fleet Commander and Deputy
Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Phil Jones. Roger joined Bristow
briefly as a Senior First Officer working in the Oil and Gas division
before taking up a role in the Gap SAR Transition Team working out
of Sumburgh, Stornoway, Aberdeen and Inverness. In November 2013
he became an integral part of the UK SAR Transition Team based in
Sumburgh and working toward his command qualification.
Speaking of his award and his time at Bristow, Roger said, “I am
honored to have been awarded the Fleet Commander Commendation
after a challenging and rewarding career in the Royal Navy. Looking
ahead, I genuinely feel very privileged to be part of UK SAR and to be
closely involved in the transition project planned for the next two years.”
Director of UK SAR Samantha Willenbacher said, “This commendation
is a testament to Roger’s dedicated service in the military and also
highlights the exceptional caliber of professionals we have working in
the UK SAR team. I extend my warmest congratulations to Roger, and
we are extremely fortunate to have him on board.”
Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Phil Jones presents a Fleet Commander Commendation to Roger Stringer.
30 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SAR FACILITIES UNDER WAY IN UK
Groundbreaking and early construction on the first of Bristow’s seven new search and rescue (SAR) facilities across the UK has begun, with the goal of
completing two by year-end and the remaining five by mid-2015. The Humberside base is leading the way, starting about a week ahead of the Inverness
site in mid-March. Construction recently started at Caernarfon, and planning approvals have been received for every location.
“We’re very pleased with how the design and approval process went
and are now embarking on an ambitious schedule that allows 30
weeks to complete construction at each site,” says SAR Infrastructure
Coordinator Natalie Dillon. “The recommendations of our end users –
flight crews, SAR rear crews and engineers – played a significant role
in the design and will enable optimal performance when the bases
become operational.”
STANDARDIZED AND SUSTAINABLE
The opportunity to build new bases will bring the benefits of service
continuity as similarities between each base will enable crews to be
instantly familiar with a site wherever they are in the country. “This will
allow them to quickly become comfortable with the facilities, which will
foster improved operating procedures that can be easily shared among
the UK SAR community,” Dillon says.
Each new base is also expected to receive a “very good” rating in
the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment
Methodology (BREEAM). BREEAM is the world’s longest and most
widely used method of assessing and certifying the sustainability of
buildings.
AMONG THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FEATURES :
• Rainwater harvesting
• Solar panels
• Sustainable urban drainage system
• Minimum 25% recycled aggregate in high grade concrete elements
New bases will also be built in Manston, Newquay, Prestwick and St.
Athan. Bases currently operating in Sumburgh, Stornoway and Lee-on-
Solent will receive refurbishments once the UK SAR contract becomes
fully effective.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 31
OSCAR CHARLIE LEGACY CONTINUED IN HELICOPTER NAMING CEREMONY
The legacy of Shetland’s much loved search and rescue (SAR)
helicopter was honored on April 25 when Bristow named their new
state-of-the-art Sikorsky S-92 SAR aircraft “Oscar Charlie” at a short
ceremony in Sumburgh.
The original Oscar Charlie, a Sikorsky S-61N, was operated by the
company on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
from 1985 until 2007. During its 23 years of continuous service, Oscar
Charlie was involved in numerous operations including the rescue of
survivors of the Piper Alpha disaster in 1988, the rescue of 14 crew
from the foundering oil tanker MV Braer and the rescue of all 60 crew
from the Russian vessel MV Ludohods where Bristow’s crew set the
enduring record of 32 survivors being rescued in one lift. The ceremony
was attended by senior representatives from Bristow and the MCA
as well as the current Sumburgh SAR crew and local politicians and
community representatives.
Samantha Willenbacher, Director of UK Search and Rescue, said,
“We’re very aware of the affectionate way that Oscar Charlie came to be
viewed by the community during its long years of service. That is why it
made sense for us to carry forward the name to our new S-92 aircraft.
We are honored to once again be delivering the search and rescue
service from these islands, and we hope to see the new Oscar Charlie
continuing that legacy for many years to come.”
Alastair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, who unveiled the new
name alongside Sumburgh Chief Pilot Jimmy Livitt said, “The search
and rescue service (crews) do a vitally important job across the country,
but it is even more important in an island community like ours, where
many people have to face the challenges of the sea on a daily basis.
“Over the years the search and rescue team (members) in Shetland
have provided a first-class service, which everyone can be proud of;
it is important that they are given the right tools to help them continue
to provide that service. I am also very pleased to see that the new
helicopter will be named Oscar Charlie; it is a name that local people
have come to trust and to associate with the rescue service. I know that
the men and women who serve in the new Oscar Charlie will continue
to maintain its predecessor’s reputation for reliability and excellent
service.”
Bristow set up the civilian search and rescue service in Sumburgh for
MCA in 1983 and delivered the service until 2007. The company began
delivering the service again in June 2013 after winning the Gap SAR
contract from the Department for Transport. Bristow has since been
awarded the full UK SAR contract and will continue to deliver the SAR
service from Sumburgh under this contract until 2026.
Bristow bestowed a revered name on its new Sikorsky S-92 aircraft, “Oscar Charlie,” at a naming ceremony on April 25 in Sumburgh.
32 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
BRISTOW CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO NIGERIAN AVIATION INDUSTRY; AWARDS FLIGHT TRAINING TO 20 STUDENTSFor more than 30 years, Bristow has demonstrated its strong
commitment to the advancement of Nigerians in the aviation industry
through training sponsorships awarded to Nigerian pilot and engineering
candidates. This year, Bristow has committed $5 million for 20 Nigerian
pilot candidates to attend flight training at Bristow Academy in Titusville,
Florida. This newest class joins the 40 engineering students at the
Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria and the 15 pilot
candidates at Bristow Academy already receiving sponsored training.
Looking ahead, Bristow plans to award an additional 20 pilot candidates
with flight training.
BRISTOW AREA MANAGER AND SERVICE DELIVERY MANAGER FOR NORWAY RENEE DE JONG TO RETIRE
Bristow’s Area Manager and Service Delivery Manager for Norway,
Renee de Jong, will retire on July 1. Renee has enjoyed a long and
distinguished career spanning aviation, business and management.
His background as a pilot includes service in the Dutch Air Force,
Helikopter Services, Braathens. He then joined Norsk Helikopter, where
he spent 12 years, including serving as Operations Director. Renee
also worked in a senior management role with SFS Aviation in Thailand.
Renee has flown for offshore operations on the S-76, AS332, S-61
and Bell 212. Bristow thanks Renee for his contribution and his many
accomplishments with Bristow in Norway.
BRISTOW ACADEMY PILOT HELPING ADVANCE WHIRLY-GIRLS’ MISSIONLaura McColm, FAA Chief Flight Instructor at Bristow Academy,
recently stepped down from her position as President of Whirly-Girls
International. But her commitment to the organization’s objective of
advancing women in helicopter aviation is as strong as ever. “Whirly-
Girls is the reason I am where I am,” says Laura, who still serves on the
group’s board of directors. “I received a Whirly-Girls scholarship when I
was starting out and it was extremely helpful, not just financially but as
validation of my career choice.”
Formed in 1955 with 13 members, the organization has grown to
include more than 1,800 Whirly Girls in 44 countries. The Whirly-
Girls Scholarship Fund is the organization’s main focus, growing from
a single $500 award in 1974 to more than $80,000 today. This year
the group set a record by awarding scholarships to 13 women at their
annual awards banquet at HELI-EXPO. Whirly-Girls membership is open
to certified women helicopter pilots, and there is a membership sponsor
program that covers the fees of students who may not be able to afford
to join. Auxiliary membership is also available to aspiring pilots as well
as anyone who wants to be part of the organization.
The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund set a record this year by awarding scholarships to 13 women at their annual awards banquet at HELI-EXPO.
“WHIRLY-GIRLS IS THE REASON I AM WHERE I AM.”
– LAURA MCCOLM
Bristow’s Area Manager and Service Delivery Manager for Norway, Renee de Jong, will retire on July 1.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 33
BRISTOW UPLIFT FISCAL YEAR 2014 DONATIONS TOTAL $564,621
Worthy causes around the world are able to successfully carry out their
missions this year, thanks in part to donations from Bristow Uplift. In
fiscal year 2014, Bristow hosted or participated in 99 events worldwide
and donated a total of $564,621.
Bristow is also proud to announce that as part of this year’s Uplift
giving, the following charities and organizations were awarded large
gifts: Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), The Smith Family, Wildlife
CARE, Hidden Potentials, A Soldier’s Child, Women’s Home, The
Orpheus Centre, The Honeypot Children’s Charity, New Iberia City Park
Playground Project and The Worklife Institute.
From left, Bristow employee spouse Janice Williams, Bristow HR Manager Keir Williams, Smith Family’s Susan Schofield and Bristow SVP and Chief Administration Officer Hilary Ware are joined by a mother and daughter who are beneficiaries of Smith Family support. The Smith Family is Australia’s only national education-oriented charity.
BRISTOW AND AGUSTAWESTLAND ANNOUNCE ENERGY BALL CHARITY: ARCHIE FOUNDATIONBristow and AgustaWestland jointly announced that they have selected
the Archie Foundation as the official charity of the Press and Journal
Energy Ball 2014. The money that is raised will benefit the foundation’s
latest initiative, High 10 for ARCHIE Appeal.
The initiative will provide upgrades to the Royal Aberdeen Children’s
Hospital that will help to improve all stages of a patient’s journey while at
the hospital. In conjunction with the announcement, Bristow Pilots Guy
Holmes, Mike Taylor, Emiel Tjin-Tham-Sjin and Andrew Miller spent
an afternoon visiting with children and their families at the hospital.
Bristow Pilots Emiel Tjin-Tham-Sjin, Guy Holmes, Andrew Miller and Mike Taylor spent an afternoon visiting with children and their families at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital.
34 Bristow World 2014 Issue 1
AUSBU EMPLOYEES SHAVE HEADS IN SUPPORT OF LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION
In support of the Leukaemia Foundation, AUSBU Knowledge Manager
Amy Hightower and Aviation Security Administrator Blanca Garcia
participated in the foundation’s annual World’s Greatest Shave in which
participants make a pledge to either shave or color their hair if their
fundraising goals are met. After only a few weeks, both successfully
beat their goal and ended with a combined fundraising total of
AUD$6,232 (US$5,800).
Keeping to her pledge, AUSBU Knowledge Manager Amy Hightower shaved her head after surpassing her fundraising goals in support of the World’s Greatest Shave.
In addition to participating in the World’s Greatest Shave, Garcia volunteers
at the Bunbury Leukaemia Foundation and for the past two years has
driven patients throughout Western Australia to receive treatment.
In addition to participating in the World’s Greatest Shave, Aviation Security Administrator Blanca Garcia drives patients throughout Western Australia to receive treatment.
BRISTOW SUPPORTS LOCAL SPECIAL OLYMPICS IN NEW IBERIA
A large group of Bristow employees in New Iberia
provided support for the annual Special Olympics
Vermilion, Equestrian Event. A part of the Special
O lympics Louis iana, the Special O lympics
Vermilion serves the Vermilion Parish and Acadiana
community by providing the financial and emotional
resources necessary for handicapped members of
the community to achieve their athletic goals.
In to t a l , Br i s tow cont r ibu ted $ 2,5 0 0 and
volunteered on the day of the event, assisting
Special Olympic athletes as they mounted and
dismounted from horses, walking and leading
the horses and the athletes, selling T-shirts and
taking pictures. Vermilion Parish Schools Assistant
Superintendent of Curriculum Ellen Arceneaux said
Bristow is the reason the event is even possible.
“Without Bristow’s financial support and the help
they provide at practices and the event, we would
not be able to offer this competition for our athletes.
Bristow and its volunteers have helped to make this
event special for our athletes.”
Employees in New Iberia volunteered at the annual Special Olympics Vermillion, Equestrian Event.
Bristow World 2014 Issue 1 35
ACADEMY GOLF TOURNAMENT RAISES $4,700 FOR WOUNDED WARRIORSBristow Academy in Titusville hosted its first annual charity golf tournament
to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The tournament was a major
success, raising $4,700. Through the Bristow Uplift employee matching
gifts program, Bristow has matched this total to bring the total contribution
to $9,400.
The concept of a golf tournament and the specific charity organization were
selected jointly by A&P Mechanics Charles Leister and Arron Barber. Event
participants included Bristow Academy employees their friends and family,
and local members of the community. The event was such a great success
the Academy plans to host it on an annual basis moving forward.
Bristow Academy Director Todd Smith was one of many employees to play in the first annual Bristow Academy golf tournament to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.
BRENT HULIN WINS CHARITY POKER TOURNAMENT; DONATES ALL TO CHARITY
Bristow’s Brent Hulin (right) won second place at Milestone Aviation Group’s poker tournament at HELI-EXPO and $15,000 in charitable donations.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and a local
chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation are each receiving a
$7,500 donation, thanks to Brent Hulin’s poker-playing skills in
a charity tournament held at HELI-EXPO. Brent, who works in
global aircraft sales and acquisitions in New Iberia, took second
place in the event, which was sponsored by aircraft lessor
Milestone Aviation Group. Approximately 90 people entered the
tournament.
Brent’s choices of St. Jude and Make-A-Wish are not random
selections, as both organizations had a major impact on his life
while he was battling leukemia when he was 15 years old. “I
was being treated at Tulane University in New Orleans and
was having a difficult time with the chemotherapy treatments,”
Brent says. “They consulted with St. Jude to change up the
treatments and it helped, but it was still a tough year.” Now 29,
Brent is in full remission. “It was almost half my life ago, but
I am glad to be able to make these donations with thanks to
Milestone for putting on the tournament.”
Global Communications
Tricia Morley, DirectorTaylor Long, [email protected]
Bristow Group Inc. 2103 City West Blvd., 4th Floor Houston, TX 77042 t 713.267.7600 f 713.267.7620 bristowgroup.com
Global Communication Network (GCN)
Janet Abadie, NABU
Iyabo Bello, WASBU
Allan Blake, AUSBU
Christopher Bond, Global Safety
Daniel Bowden, AUSBU
Beverly Breaux, NABU
Kylie Cardinal, AUSBU
Renee de Jong, EBU
Yvonne Devine, EBU
Jessica Ditch, NABU
Heather Jehnes, Academy
Amanda Lawrence, Academy
Sally Lemet, IBU
Christine Longtin, Academy
Jon Oakey, IBU
Oladapo Oyeleke, EBU
Amla Ramnasibsingh, IBU
Sandie Richardson, Legal
Inger Marie Roenneberg, EBU
Audrey Smith, EBU
Keir Williams, AUSBU
Arch Currid, Consultant
Linda Gilbert, Consultant
Met Altan, Director,
Global Tax
George Bruce, Vice President
of Integrated Planning and
Performance
Emily Conine, Director,
Financial Reporting and
Technical Accounting
Paul Doxey, Area Manager
- Trinidad
(Effective July 1, 2014)
Andres Garcia, IBU
Business Development
Account Manager
Arne Martin Gilberg,
Area Manager and Service
Delivery – Norway
(Effective July 1, 2014)
Mike Imlach, Vice President
of Operations
Erica Mickens, Director,
Corporate Accounting and
General Ledger Services
Tim Rolfe, Director,
Aviation Safety
Jeff Ryhti, Aircraft
Acceptance
Representative U.S.
Christine Tran, Financial
Reporting Manager
Matthew Walker, Director
of Operations Analysis and
Forecasting
MANAGEMENT CHANGES
BRISTOW CLIENT WINSAUSTRALIA BUSINESS UNIT (AUSBU)
• A one-year contract for
one medium helicopter to
commence in July 2014, and
• A two-year contract for
three large helicopters to
commence at the end of
2015
NORTH AMERICA BUSINESS UNIT ( NABU)
• A one-year contract for one
large helicopter commenced
in April 2014
EUROPE BUSINESS UNIT ( EBU)
• A 29-month contract for one
large helicopter to commence
in June 2014;
• A four-month contract for one
large helicopter commenced
in May 2014 with a 10-month
extension option;
• A four-month contract for one
large helicopter commenced
in May 2014;
• A contract option for two
large and three medium
helicopters extended through
October 2016;
• A transition from one medium
to one large helicopter
commenced in May 2014,
and
• A two-year contract for
one medium helicopter to
commence in June 2014
with three one-year extension
options
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS UNIT ( IBU )
• A transition from one existing
medium to one new medium
helicopter
TARGET ZERO SAFETY PERFORMANCE IN FISCAL YEAR 2014
• No air accidents
in commercial
operations;
• WASBU and COBU
achieved Target
Zero in all safety
measures;
• NABU achieved
Target Zero for one
year, and
• Aberdeen base
achieved 1,000 days
without a recordable
injury.