rotor tales_01_2006

02Craig Dobbinto SE Asia

03Foundationfor Children

04CHC and BHSJoin Forces

06NexenOffshore Visit

07Capt. BruceMorton Retires

08New Feature: CHC Adventure

RotorTalesISSUE 01.2006CHC HELICOPTER CORPORATION EMPLOYEE MAGAZINE

SEARCH&RESCUEEMERGENCY SERVICES FEATURE

S1 CHC lands UK search and rescue contractS4 Fishermen found in middle of cycloneS6 Introducing Survival-One

Craig L. Dobbin, O.C.

Good news around the worldEarly in 2006 I joinedGlobal OperationsPresident Christine Bairdand VP Business UnitsChris Krajewski on a tour

of CHC operations in Southeast Asia.We met with our partners, customers and staff in several locations, includingThailand, Myanmar, India and Malaysia,where we had very good meetings withour counterparts at Malaysian HelicopterServices in Kuala Lumpur. Everywhere we went, there was optimism about therequirements for increased helicopterservices.

The purpose of the trip was to furtherenhance business opportunities aroundthe world, and I commend Christine andher team for the tremendous work beingcarried out in so many diverse locations.Our Global Operations are in very good

shape – and in very good hands. I lookforward to my visits to Brazil, South Africaand West Africa, including Nigeria.

I witnessed incredible diversity in thecountries in which we operate, but at thesame time I was struck by the commonvalues and striking similarities amongpeople of vastly different cultures. Aftervisiting so many countries, one can’t helpbut notice that we have a lot more in com-mon than we might think. One of thosecommon links is our innate desire to helpour fellow man, and I am pleased to saythat this is an extremely strong value atCHC.

Giving back to the communityThe generosity of my fellow employeesaround the world is extraordinary andcommendable. When the devastatingearthquake and tsumani hit regions ofAsia last year, CHC and its employeesraised more than $95,000 for the reliefeffort. Recently, the CHC Board ofDirectors approved a large donation forchildren in Louisiana who were displacedby Hurricane Katrina. The Company also made a significant contribution to the Benjamin Franklin House in London,

which CHC’s Lead Director, Sir Bob Reidand I visited in January.

CHC employees everywhere are raisingmoney for local charities, assisting schoolsand orphanages, raising funds throughwalks, runs and other events. In the emer-gency services section of this issue, you canread about Survival One staff who donatedtheir time to create a potentially life-savingsuit for a very sick girl in Aberdeen. In thenext issue, CHC Ireland winchman CiaranSmith, will tell us about a recent trip toSouth Africa, where he volunteered his timeand money to help build 100 desperatelyneeded homes in South Africa.

I am honoured to be associated with somany giving employees and doubly hon-oured to have my name associated with a new CHC-Craig Dobbin Foundation for Children launched late last year andoutlined on page 3. This fund was createdto lend additional assistance in those communities where CHC employees and families are helping those in need.I encourage you to continue to open yourhearts and use this new Foundation as ameans of matching your own fundraisingefforts to help the children.

Notes& Comment

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

Sylvain Allard

2005 was an incredible year for CHC, a transitionyear with more firsts andextraordinary events than any other year in theCompany’s history. Thenumber of transactions and

contracts completed last year represent aremarkable accomplishment by employeesacross the Company. We completed threedispositions (Schreiner Canada, CHL andInaer) and two acquisitions (Coulson andBrazilian Helicopter Services). We success-fully launched a major bond placement,completed a stock split and moved into a brand new building for our head officelocation in Vancouver.

On the operations side, we were equallybusy, winning contracts, introducing newaircraft types, and hiring and traininghundreds of new staff to meet a growingdemand. CHC Global was successful inrenewing contracts everywhere: WestAfrica, Southeast Asia, Eastern Canada,the Middle East and, most recently, justnorth of Australia in the East Timor Sea,where we are providing two Super Pumasfor ConocoPhillips.

In the North Sea, we launched theSikorsky S-92 in Norway and rolled outthe AB139 in the Netherlands. CHCEurope landed contracts with Marathon,Nexen, Total, ConocoPhillips UK, Tullow,and most significantly, the UK CoastGuard, which has awarded CHC a five-yearcontract that will see the introduction ofboth the SAR S-92 and SAR AB139. Thisnew work validates years of hard work byemployees across Europe and is a powerfulendorsement of our Search and Rescueexpertise around the world. It paves the

way for continued growth in this area and the strengthening of our leadershipposition in emergency helicopter services.Congratulations to all involved, it is a great victory for the entire company.

With so much activity, it is almost possibleto overlook the most significant event ofthe year: the emergence of our restructuredoperating divisions and the creation ofthe new division, Heli-One. By the end ofthe year CHC Europe, CHC Global andHeli-One had made a commitment topurchase ten heavy and 31 medium aircraftby the end of fiscal 2007 and had optionsto purchase up to two additional heavyand 34 additional medium aircraft overthe next five years.

This extraordinary restructuring effortand build-up for future growth could only have been accomplished through thededicated, focused hard work of employeesthroughout the organization. I thank andcommend my fellow employees for yourextraordinary effort.

Growth Trend

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

02 CHC HELICOPTER CORPORATION EMPLOYEE MAGAZINE

03CHC HELICOPTER CORPORATION EMPLOYEE MAGAZINE

While 2005 was a transition year, yourhard work has a purpose: preparing forfuture growth. I am confident 2006 will be another record-setting year for CHC.We will continue to introduce new technology aircraft such as the S-92 andAB 139, and prepare for the introductionof the EC 225 in early 2007. Not only willwe fly further in 2006, we will make off-shore flight safer, and witness the dawn ofa new generation of rotory wing aircraft.

I’m confident our new organizationalstructure will provide CHC with moreopportunities for growth and security.With our investment in new aircraft andpersonnel, we will be in a position to satisfy one of the highest demands for new aircraft that I have seen in my career.This rapid expansion and fleet renewal is challenging in the short term but willreward employees, customers and share-holders in the medium and long term.

CHC-Craig Dobbin Foundation for Children

On Sept. 13, 2005, CHC signed a charter for the creationof the CHC-Craig Dobbin Foundation for Children, a newCompany- wide charitable organization which aims toimprove the lives of children around the world, particu-larly in the regions in which we operate. The foundationhonours Mr. Dobbin’s lifelong commitment to philan-thropy and establishes a charitable organization whichwill assist children in perpetuity. Through this new charity, CHC will donate $150,000 per year to assist programs contributing to education and health care.

The primary aim of the foundation is to make a real difference in the areas in which we work, and to supportprograms close to the hearts of CHC employees and customers.

From past fundraising efforts and initiatives, it is obviousthat CHC employees care about the communities inwhich we live and work. CHC has a commitment to projects and organizations that enrich the lives of others,with a particular focus on children’s education, health-care and social well-being. We believe we should play a role in strengthening the social conditions of the communities in which we operate. CHC gives priority to

longer-term educational initiatives, particularly in areaswhere access to quality education is difficult, and tohealth-related initiatives which benefit the local community.

Employees with a project in mind are encouraged tosubmit proposals to the Foundation Project Committee,which is currently being assembled with members fromaround the world. The Foundation will match, dollar fordollar, all funds raised by employees for approved projects, and may sponsor projects on its own.

The charity was created by CHC senior managers, who also serve as Foundation Board Members: SylvainAllard, President and CEO; Christine Baird, President,Global Operations; Neil Calvert, President, Heli-One and;Keith Mullett, Managing Director, European Operations.

To submit an application for funding, please visit theCHC website at www.chc.ca/ about_corporate_giving.php and fill out the attached form. For furtherinformation, please e-mail [email protected] and use the subject heading ‘Foundation for Children,’ or call 1-604-279-2493.

Search and Rescue ExcellenceThe awarding of a new UK Search andRescue contract to CHC Europe is a majormilestone in the evolution of this companyand a great achievement for the entireorganization. In particular I would like tothank Managing Director Keith Mullett,along with Steve Duffy, Nick Mair andDavid Rae for their tremendous effort.I visited Aberdeen in January and was veryimpressed with the entire group here. Wehave a world class operation in Aberdeen,and we are now the world leader in heli-copter Search and Rescue services. I seemany opportunities for expansion in thisarena. Not only are we introducing newtechnology to this five-year contract, weare building momentum to bid on an even larger UK Search and Rescue contractwhich will commence in 2011. As articles

in this issue indicate, we have an impressiveinventory of Search and Rescue and AirAmbulance services around the world.

CHC IrelandI am pleased to announce the appointmentof Wally Kirwan and Professor John J.Kelly to the Board of Directors of CHCIreland. Ireland represents a significantmarket for CHC and our presence herewarrants a strong board of directors.Wally has enjoyed a distinguished career in the Irish public service, serving asAssistant Secretary General in theDepartment of the Taoiseach (PrimeMinister) and heading the NorthernIreland Division until his retirement inJuly 2004. He was a senior member ofthe Irish Government’s negotiating teamin the multi-party negotiations that led

to the conclusion of the Good FridayAgreement (GFA), on 10 April, 1998.

John Kelly has worked tirelessly for CHC as a member of the CHC Board of Directors and Chair of the PensionCommittee. He is also Professor Emeritusat the School of Engineering, UniversityCollege, Dublin and has served as Dean of Engineering and Registrar/Senior Vice-President of University College,Dublin. This strengthened board willensure a strong CHC presence in Dublinand a vibrant future for our operations in Ireland.

Welcome BHSI would like to welcome the more than 200 employees of Brazilian HelicopterServices to the CHC team. As highlightedon pages 4-5, this is a great team ofprofessionals operating in a market withfabulous potential. The timing for the new partnership could not have been better. I plan to visit Brazil shortly and Ilook forward to meeting the entire teamand working with all of you to become the Number One offshore transportationprovider to Petrobras – and the No. 1operator in the country.

Songkhla, Thailand


CHC GLOBAL

Less than a week later there was even moregood news: Brazilian national oil companyPetrobras opened the bids from its tenderfor up to 22 aircraft required to meet itsfuture needs and CHC/BHS were pleasedwith the way their bids stacked up againstthe competitors. Of course, the biddingteam did not expect to get all 22 aircraft,but after hearing all the bids was confidentof receiving a fair share of the work.

Together, CHC and BHS bring a uniquelevel of local knowledge and internationalexperience to the Brazilian marketplace.Under the association, CHC will provideits internationally recognized safety man-agement systems, maintenance proce-dures, technical support, flight standards,advisory personnel and offshore oil andgas expertise. CHC’s helicopter supportcompany, Heli-One, will provide helicop-ter leasing services, access to its worldwide

Major Expansionanticipated in Brazilian offshore sector

fleet of aircraft and power-by-the-hourmaintenance support. BHS will provide itsextensive knowledge and expertise in theBrazilian offshore sector and other areas,as well as personnel, operating certificates,licences and approvals to service all jointventure contracts.

CHC Global OperationsPresident, Christine Baird said:“BHS is an excellent companywith talented people, and we look forward to a long-term relationship that will prove prosperous for both companies.”

This agreement validates CHC’s strategy of developing a single standard of superiorsafety and service to meet the needs of the

world’s largest oil and gas companies.Furthermore, the recent creation ofHeli-One as a leading provider of leasingand R&O services will enhance the abilityof BHS to bid competitively on offshorecontracts.

The BHS fleet currently includes AS332Super Puma Mk2 and Sikorsky S76 aircraftoperating out of Sao Paulo, Macaé andFarol de Sao Tomé, transporting an averageof 14,000 passengers per month. At theend of 2005 there were approximately 50 aircraft operating in the Brazilian offshore, market primarily for Petrobras.Petrobras recently announced its intentionto invest US$22 billion in exploration and production and plans to build another ten offshore platforms.

On Thursday, December 8, 2005, CHC announced it had exercised an option to acquire a significant equity position in Brazilian HelicopterServices (BHS), culminating months of hard work and negotiations onboth sides of the equator.


CHC GLOBAL

BHS was founded in 1992 by doctor and entrepreneur AriltonRibeiro Malagrino, making his first business venture into the aviationindustry. Initially, BHS operated an AS-350 service for executive andaeromedical services. In May 1996, it began operating the first twoSikorsky S-76A contracts for Petrobras, the Brazilian national oilcompany. From that moment on, the company focused its attentionon the offshore oil and gas market – where our competitors hadbeen in the business for over 20 years.

Décio Ricardo GalvãoPresident, BHS

BHS faced the same challenges as any otherbeginner; however, there were indicationsof a promising market. The oil monopolywas coming to an end, new multinationalcompanies were beginning operations and huge new oil reserves were discoveredin the Brazilian area. Understanding thetremendous challenges and potential

rewards that lay ahead, BHS relied on thesupport of experienced professionals fromthe offshore segment.

In less than five years, BHS landed eightcontracts with the national company,demonstrating an innovative and fearlessattitude in the tender process. In 2003,BHS introduced the first two Super PumaMK2s to Latin America. A year later, itwould sign its third heavy helicopter

CHC and BHSTwo leaders join forces in South America

contract, and introduce the first two S-76Csin the country. BHS was also the first aviation company in Brazil to be certifiedby ISO 9001: 2000. All of these achieve-ments have helped make BHS the secondlargest operator in Brazil – an amazingachievement for a family enterprise thathas been in the market for only a decade.

As its 10th anniversary in the offshore sector approaches, BHS has nine contractsin place and anticipates major changes thatwill bring additional professional develop-ment to the more than 200 professionalson the BHS team. BHS, which hasembarked upon a program of constantimprovement and professionalization over the years, is now joining the mostimportant offshore operator in the world,CHC. This opportunity arrives just asPetrobras is in the middle of renewing andexpanding its helicopter fleet. In additionto existing and pending contract demands,Petrobras is implementing a new opera-tional excellence program, PEO-TRAM,which will create additional opportunitiesfor the CHC-BHS safety and managementsystems.

It is a great pleasure and a great motivationfor BHS to join the successful CHC family.Like CHC, BHS has worked hard todemonstrate leadership in its markets, andthe new partnership will definitely bringthe realization of many dreams, particularlyour longstanding goal of becoming thenumber-one helicopter operator in theBrazilian offshore market in terms ofsafety and reliability.


CHC EUROPE

Jenny BarclayCustomer Care Supervisor, CHC Europe, Aberdeen

Monday 12th September 2005 saw thestart of a five-day tour, based in St.Andrews, hosted by Nexen Inc which wasattended by a number of their sharehold-ers, financial analysts, brokers and bankersalong with Nexen senior managementfrom Calgary and the UK.

Nexen is the latest ‘new’ company to start operations with CHC following asuccessful contract award earlier in 2005.The contract started as a PAYU AS332Loperation flying to one of the NexenDrilling Rigs but from 12th September,Nexen went sole-use to support drillingand Scott Platform operations. During2006, Nexen will increase the number of aircraft operated to include the newBuzzard Field.

The aim of the tour was to provide anupdate of Nexen’s global operations

Nexen Offshore Visit – SEPTEMBER 2005

and in particular, to demonstrate thedepth and value of the UK business.

On the agenda was a visit to the ScottPlatform and the Buzzard Field, the lattercurrently under development, due on-stream late 2006. This is where CHCEurope came in. We’d been asked if wecould provide two helicopters for two days to take 60 of the visitors offshore.The fact that the tour fell only two daysafter the start of the new sole-use contractwas an added challenge, as Aberdeen,along with the other UK bases, has beenextremely busy supporting the oil and gasindustry and spare capacity wasn’t in thevocabulary at that time!

However, where there’s a will, there’s a way and, helped by some clever schedulingand some last minute changes to activity,two helicopters departed Aberdeen on themorning of the 14th for St Andrews.

The passengers, many of whom had nottravelled by helicopter, let alone offshore,were probably wondering what on earth

they’d let themselves in for. First we dressedthem in yellow survival suits followed by the compulsory re-breathers and life-jackets, stripped them of mobile phonesand laptops then lead them into a field we referred to as ‘the landing site’.

The weather appeared to be a challenge on the first day due to high winds, whichprevented the helicopters remaining offshore, but we were able to return toAberdeen and go back out later to collectthe visitors, the visibility was fantastic,they were able to see the Buzzard installa-tion on the return journey, as well as some stunning Scottish scenery.

The feedback given to CHC Europe fromthose who attended has been hugely positive. They were able to receive valuableinsight into Nexen’s UK organisation and its operations. We will be supportingNexen Petroleum UK Limited during andafter the hook-up phase of the Buzzard.A group on Nexen vistiors received an offshore tour of Scotland, courtesy of CHC.

S1CHC HELICOPTER CORPORATION SAR + EMERGENCY SERVICES

On Tuesday, December 13, 2005, CHC wasawarded its largest ever search and rescueassignment, a five-year contract with theUnited Kingdom Maritime and CoastguardAgency (MCA) to provide commercialSearch and Rescue helicopter services from four bases in the UK commencingJuly 1, 2007.

It was a great day for CHC staff acrossEurope, particularly for the Aberdeencommercial department which had spentseveral years studying CHC’s SAR opera-tions around the world, making plans,studying bid documents, coastguardrequirements and aircraft types, buildingfinancial models, refining bids, meetingdeadlines – and waiting.

CHC will introduce the SAR-configuredSikorsky S-92 and Agusta Bell AB139,

increasing the Coastguard’s operatingrange and speed. In addition, a new rangeof technological equipment will be addedto maximise effectiveness in search andrescue work. CHC’s European OperatingDivision will operate two S-92s atStornoway, two S-92s at Sumburgh, twoAB139s at Lee-on-Solent and one AB139at Portland. The service will operate on a24/7 basis at Sumburgh, Stornoway andLee-on-Solent, and on a day-time basis atPortland, in line with current cover.

Managing Director of CHC’s Europeanoperations, Keith Mullett, said CHC staffwill harness their extensive search and rescue experience from around the worldto ensure we provide an enhanced SARservice that fully meets or exceeds our customer’s requirements.“We look forward

to fulfilling this key role and taking searchand rescue work into a new era,” Keithsaid. “We set out a vision of a technology-focused service using faster and morecapable aircraft, and are delighted that that vision is to be realised.”

In addition to introducing new aircrafttypes, CHC will provide the latest ForwardLooking Infra Red and low light cameras,Nightsun Searchlight, a satellite communi-cations system featuring a Flight Followingtracking facility, Skyshout public addresssystem and dual, high-speed hoists.

The S-92 to be introduced for the newSAR contract has a radius of action of 289nautical miles, a speed of 145 knots, acabin area of 14.4m2, and a winch speed of 350 feet per minute. The AB139 has aradius of action of 228 nautical miles, aspeed of 150 knots, a cabin area of 5.7m2

and a winch speed of 350 feet per minute.

The new aircraft replace Sikorsky S-61sand will be phased in between July 2007and April 2008.

CHC lands UK search and rescue contract

The S-92 to be introduced for the new SAR contract has aradius of action of 289 nautical miles, a speed of 145 knots, a cabin area of 14.4m2, and a winch speed of 350 feet perminute.

SEARCH & RESCUE / EMERGENCY SERVICESS P E C I A L C H C F E A T U R E

AB139

S2 CHC HELICOPTER CORPORATION SAR + EMERGENCY SERVICES

Keen Eyes save fisherman in night storm

SEARCH & RESCUE / EMERGENCY SERVICES

On November 9th, 2005, at 2320, ValenciaCoastguard contacted the Shannon dutyCaptain, Mark Kelly, with a report of anoverdue fishing vessel in the vicinity ofNew Quay on the Southern Shore ofGalway Bay on the Irish West Coast.

On arrival at the base, Kelly assembledCaptain Cathal Oakes, Winch OperatorDaithi O Cearbhallain and WinchmanCiaran McHugh. Engineers Ciaran ORegan and Justin Fogarty prepared the S61“Rescue 115 “ and fuelled up with therequested 4,000 lbs of fuel to give a searchtime of approximately two and a halfhours on scene.

Rescue 115 was airborne at midnight toGalway Bay. Also enroute to the scene werean Irish Coast Guard Unit from Doolinand the all weather RNLI lifeboat from theAran Island. While the crew were familiarwith the Bay area from training flights, theweather on scene was being called at Force9 with less than a mile visibility.

R115 descended at the center of GalwayBay and ran low level scudding along thecloud base east to Tawin Island, then to

Aughinish Point, a headland close to themissing boat’s homeport of New Quay.During the first pass we flew over DeerIsland. It was impossible to determinefrom the visual cues that the surf sightedwas in fact Deer Island and not the coast at Auganish point.

Just after passing Tawin Island the secondtime, the Winch Op reported an orangeflash of colour on our right side just onthe edge of our lights. Our visibility in thehover was limited with driving rain andwinds Force 9 (47-54 mph), so we did notfind anything when we descended.

Our repeat track passed over Deer Island,a large rock between Tawin and Aughinish.As we approached the Island, the Captaincalled “I have a man visual, I have a manyellow oil skins.”A transdown was initiated,and during the next few seconds we witnessed several hundred gulls lift fromthe Island, followed by a loud bang. A birdstruck somewhere on the fuselage, butafter appraisal there were no signs ofdamage.

The Captain called for the Aran Life boatto approach the island. The boat’s search-

lights allowed the Captain to catch aglimpse of a reflective strip on the casualty’sjacket.

On establishing a hover over Deer Island,our Winchman was lowered to the Island.The casualty, Gerry Sweeney, laterdescribed the sight of the winchman beinglowered from the aircraft as a “bird fromheaven”. Once we had Gerry on board weclimbed out of the bay, back to Shannon at MSA.

Ian TavernerBusiness Unit Leader

On the 3rd November the first autumnalstorm of the year swept in from theAtlantic towards the western seaboard ofIreland. In its path lay the Spanish MFVSanthil fishing 80 kilometres southwest ofthe Fast Net Rock.

Within hours the vessel, battered by galeforce winds and violent seas, had requestedurgent assistance for a very seriouslyinjured crewman who had fallen 15 metresinto the fish hold.

MRCC Dublin immediately diverted an Irish Air Corp Casa to the scene andscrambled CHC Ireland’s Rescue 117,the Waterford Coastguard Helicopter.Vectored to the vessel by the Casa, Rescue117 quickly winched the injured fishermanby stretcher from the boat and transferredhim ashore to Cork hospital for urgentmedical treatment.Crew: Capt. Dave Duthie, Co-Pilot BarryO’Connor, Winch Operator John Manning,Winchman Derek Everitt

Winched to safety

Fisherman Gerry Sweeney, left, relaxes aboardRescue 115 with his rescuer Winchman Ciaran McHugh.

S3

Irish Coast Guard As the sole provider of Search andRescue helicopter services to the Irish Coast Guard, CHC has extensiveexperience in the North Atlantic, as well as the Irish and Celtic Seas.Maintaining and operating a fleet of six heavy Sikorsky S-61N helicoptersat bases in Dublin, Shannon, Waterford,and Sligo in 24/7 operations, CHC hassets the standards for safe, efficienthelicopter rescue service.

Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)CHC is the largest provider of emergency medical helicopter services on the Australian continent and has been providing dedicated rescue support to the RAAF since 1989. CHC recently signed a contract to support the RAAF with a mixed fleet of Sikorsky S76 and Bell helicopters for an additional ten years.

Victoria Police Air Wing and Air Ambulance Services, AustraliaCHC provides three Dauphin SA365 aircraft and one AS350BA, plus maintenance services, to theVictoria Police Department on a full-time long-term basis.

Western Australia Government Fire and Emergency Services Authority Based in Perth, WA, CHC provides a Bell 412 EP aircraft, plus pilots and crewmen for a 24-hourambulance/rescue service.

Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) of Victoria, Australia CHC has been providing helicopter services to the MAS since 1989. CHC currently provides two Bell 412EP helicopters for Air Ambulance and Search and Rescue duties.

New South Wales Ambulance ServiceCHC provides a Bell 412 EP for emergency medical services in the area of Wollongong, NSW

Central Queensland Helicopter Rescue ServiceCHC provides a Bell 412, an SA365C1 and a Bell 206 LongRanger for EMS helicopter services.

Snowy Hydro SouthCare Air Ambulance ServiceCHC provides a Bell 412 for emergency helicopter service.

Norwegian Search and RescueCHC provides a private Search and Rescue services in the Norwegian North Sea but acts in concert with government SAR operations. The CHC SAR fleet includes three offshore-basedDauphin AS 365N2s, along with a Bell 214 ST at Statoil’s Statfjord field, which can be convertedfrom inter-rig shuttle role to SAR duty role within 15 minutes. Several of the Super Pumas inCHC’s Norwegian fleet are prepared for the same quick change to SAR configuration.

NH90CHC is designing, manufacturing and installing 19 life-raft assembly kits for the NH90 helicopter, a new military search and rescue helicopter provided to France, Italy, Germany and The Netherlands through a joint venture shared by Agusta, Eurocopter and Fokker.

Related ServicesCHC provides extensive ship supply and rescue service off the coast of Africa and theNetherlands, and helicopter support services to scientific expeditions in Antarctica and other harsh environments.

CHC HELICOPTER CORPORATION SAR + EMERGENCY SERVICES


THE WORLD LEADERCHC provides sophisticated EMSand SAR services around the globe.Gerry, a local fisherman, told us how he

had fallen overboard and held onto theboat for approximately two hours, unableto climb back in due to sea state. As theboat started to drift out to sea with thetide, Gerry decided to swim for DeerIsland aided by his life jacket. Exhaustedand hypothermic, he was there for almostten hours before hearing Rescue 115.

The crew was around for a very emotionalscene as Gerry was reunited with his wifeand family at the Shannon Base. Gerry’swife told the crew that when she returnedhome at and found Gerry’s dinneruntouched, she checked the pier for herhusband’s boat and then alerted 999.In an email to the crew Martina said “I willbe forever grateful to all of you for the fantastic rescue on that night. The shock is still with me but to have Ger here aliveand well still smiling makes life worth-while. So for now many thanks again andthank you for your bravery!”.Crew: Capt. Mark Kelly; Capt. Cathal Oakes;Winch Operator Daithi O Cearbhallain, and;Winchman Ciaran McHugh.

Rescue 117 approachesSpanish MFV Santhil

For additional information visit www.chc.ca



two other boats but they had not seenthem in days. The small boat was tossedlike a leaf on the seas as they tried to maintain position alongside. We werealmost dead in the water, making baresteerageway, but the high confused seascame from all directions and had no pattern. Deck Pusher Manoj directedSeamen and Roustabouts, throwing a lineover to the boat and passed six lifejackets.The men had probably never seen a lifejacket in their lives and spent over fiveminutes putting their heads and armsthrough every hole and fold of the jacketsbut the right ones. Finally they had themon correctly. The dark of night and theclouds of the approaching perimeter of thecyclonic storm’s eye were fast descendingand the fishermen all had the lifejacketslights on.

By Captain Craig CourtneyMaster of the Discoverer Seven Seas

The Discoverer Seven Seas was makingbare steerageway, riding out a storm offthe East Coast of India in the upper reachesof the Bay of Bengal. The winds wereblowing from 40-60 knots. One gust wasseen into the 70s. A workboat riding outthe storm four miles away reported a gustin the 90s. The barometer was falling fast.The seas were running high and wild andat times the rain sheeted down in walls ofwater. Visibility was obscured with theblowing spindrift and spray, with oftenonly the white of the breaking and rollingcrests of wave standing out.

The weather forecasts were insistent thatthis was not a cyclonic storm but after fourintense hours fighting howling winds andaggressively lively seas, our rig emergedfrom the din into deafening silence as thewinds suddenly dropped.

Overhead was a circle of sky, the first wehad seen all day, and the air was filled withhundreds of dragon flies. The Bridge filledwith crew members marveling at this finespectacle – we were actually in the eye ofthe storm and there was no doubt that itwas cyclonic. Just as suddenly as the windhad dropped and the dragon flies appeared,

a tiny boat with six men appeared out ofnowhere, suddenly they were just there,on the crest of a huge wave. They appearedand then disappeared again and again asthey maneuvered through the wild andconfused swell, making their way in ourdirection. They were flapping their handsin undecipherable gestures and yelling in a language that was foreign even to theIndians on board. Most of them werestanding up in the boat which was as livelyas a surf board. It was a light wooden craftprobably no more than four meters long,powered by what may have once been asmall generator engine which was adaptedfor marine use by attaching it to a longpipe through which the shaft ran anddrove a propeller that trailed another 4meters behind the boat. The boat wassteered by pivoting this motor and shafton the stern sheet like a sweep oar. Later,once they were safely aboard, they told usthat we appeared like the gods out of thestorm to save them.

The men spoke one of the hundreds ofunique and obscure languages of Indiaand had no English. Lead Roustabout CraigJacobs had been raised in this part of Indiaand luckily, of the six languages he speaks,theirs was one of them. They had been lostat sea for three days, they had been with

Not all of CHC’s search and rescue missions involve winchmen hanging from a hovering

helicopter. In this rescue, most of the action took place before CHC arrived, but it is a

fascinating story, a survival miracle, brought to us by our customer in the Indian Ocean,

Transocean Drilling. CHC’s role was to fly to the Discoverer Seven Seas (DSS) and bring

home the fishermen saved by Capt. Craig Courtney and his crew. The DSS is a massive

deep-water drill ship, 534 feet long, 80 feet wide and 32 feet in depth.

F I S H E R M E N F O U N D

in middle of cyclone

Later, once they were safely aboard, they told us that weappeared like the gods out of the storm to save them.

S5


All six fishermen were escorted into theaccommodation; one had to be carried as his legs would not support him. Theirphotographs were taken and then theywere escorted down to the communalshowers, given fresh towels, soap and apair of Transocean coveralls. Once warmand dry they were given a hot meal in the galley, after which their names, ages andhome details taken.

be noted that Craig Jacob was instrumen-tal in the success of the whole operation.

Two pilot ladders were secured to strongpoints and two rope lines were thrown tothe fishing boat in an attempt to help con-trol its position. The ‘captain’ of the fishingboat was instructed to come along side (as best he could), when the heave of thesea corresponded with the position of thepilot ladder. the fishermen were instructedto go for the ladder one at a time.

The vessel motion and severe confusedseas of the storm’s eye made it dangerousto have the boat close in. They had riddenout the storm and made their way to theeye and survived so far, but to get close tothe steel of our hull could instantly destroytheir boat and land them in the water withlittle hope of survival.

Time and options seemed to be runningout as the winds started building fast from the opposite direction than they hadbeen blowing earlier. Two things becameapparent: our crew had a clear and positivefaith that they could save these men, andthe wind fast building on the starboard

An attempt was made to secure the fishing boat, but bythis time the weather had deteriorated to such an extent thatthe securing ropes snapped and the fishing boat was lost.


bow was now allowing on the port side a small area, if not exactly a duck pond,it was definitely a patch of sea less wildthan anything we had seen in hours. Thedecision was made to go for it, to attemptto board them at the port moonpool,which is normally eight feet above thewater, due to vessel motion and the seaswas actually level with the sea at times andtherefore accessible to the boat. The leeprovided an acceptable measure of safetyto our men and the fishermen.

THE RESCUEOnce the word was given to go ahead with the rescue, all on-shift seamen &roustabout crews plus the senior crewmengathered at the port side moonpool area.A quick ‘ad-hoc’ verbal Think PlanningProcess was conducted; all involved crewput on work vests, while Mike put on asafety harness with lanyard and positionedhimself over the side of the vessel. It has to

Once on the ladder, our crewmen grabbedthe fishermen and passed them over to the chief mechanic, whereupon they wereplaced on deck in a relatively shelteredposition.

Five clean ‘snatch & grabs’ were made,with the sixth (the captain) being marginal;once he left the controls of the boat it waspure fate that allowed us to grab him andbring him to safety.

Suffice it to say the entire team were wellchuffed that they had managed to rescuethe fishermen without physical injury tothem or any of the DSS crew. An attemptwas made to secure the fishing boat, but by this time the weather had deterioratedto such an extent that the securing ropessnapped and the fishing boat was lost.

Two of the fishermen required medicaltreatment for minor cuts and bruises.

One fishermen called his village to informfamily and friends that they were safe and well. A cabin was allocated for thefishermen, and further provisions weremade for their safety, including a call toCHC Helicopters to fly out and bring thefishermen home. Come Monday morningall six fishermen looked a lot better for agood nights sleep, and were thrilled to be heading home at last.With files from Dave Webster.


Survival-One was created throughCHC’s 2004 acquisition of Multifabsand Whirlybirds, two independent sur-vival suit companies based in Aberdeen,Scotland. The merger of these two companies created the undisputedworld leader in survival suit support,and an integral part of CHC’s helicoptersupport company, Heli-One.

World leader in offshore survival suits

Survival-One is headed upby Greg Allanach, a manwho has been around off-shore safety suits nearly hisentire life. Greg started withMultifabs (the larger of thetwo founding companies)as a summer student in1988. After university hebecame a Police Officer

with Grampian Police in Aberdeen, butreturned to the company full time six years ago. Greg’s father Neil started withMultifabs in the early 70s and helped buildit into a global enterprise, eventually buyingthe company in 1998.

Today Survival-One employs a team of150 and has service and repair facilities innine countries, from Azerbaijan to theUSA. Its customers include more than 23


The newest company in the CHC group is no newcomer to the offshore industry. Survival-One Limited (affectionately known as S1) has been around for more than 30 years,designing, manufacturing, servicing and repairing survival suits and other survival equipmentfor various coast guards and oil and gas companies around the world.

Greg Allanach

S7

oil and gas company customers, includingthe world’s largest multinationals, as wellas 18 commercial operators and militaryorganizations in Europe. Survival-Oneprovides suits and service to the US AirForce and Coast Guard, Japan CoastGuard and Navy, South Africa Air Force,Australian Defence Department, and coastguards or air forces in the UK, Ireland,Norway, the Netherlands, Germany,Belgium and Finland.


At the beginning of November, theSurvival-One Design Team was contactedby Steven and Margaret Coles with a veryunique request. Margaret works with thecharity ‘Crossroads’ and she has been helping to look after a very special younggirl named Chiara Venditozzi.

Chiara has a condition called EpidermolysisBullosa or EB for short. EB is a very raregenetic condition in which the skin andinternal body linings blister at the slightestknock or rub, causing painful, openwounds. EB is an inherited condition (notcontagious), which is passed on geneticallyfrom parents to children, first time parentsoften do not know that they are carriersand will have no prior warning that the child will be affected, until birth.The condition was recently highlighted inChannel 4’s heart-breaking documentary‘The Boy Who’s Skin Fell Off ’.

Chiara is in Primary 3 at school inStonehaven, a town just outside Aberdeen,which is where Margaret looks after her.

She is quite small for her age and becauseof her condition is permanently bandagedfrom her neck down. She is a very bright,happy girl and her handicap is only physical.

This Christmas, Chiara and her family are off to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands,on holiday.

Steven and Margaret wondered if it was possibleto make a dry suit for Chiara that would enableher to paddle in the sea,something she had neverbeen able to do.

Up for the challenge, the Design Team set to work. After a few prototypes andcalling in some favours, Andrew Wilsonand Laura Cochrane succeeded in meetingthe challenge. The suit is manufactured in Gore-Tex® fabric, making it fully waterproof and breathable. It has attached mitts and socks and a watertight zip.

A special suit for a child in need

Chiara Venditozzi at her final fitting for aunique immersion suit, designed and made by Survival-One in Aberdeen. Design andDevelopment Manager Andrew Wilson, at left,and Design and Technical Support specialistLaura Cochrane helped create the suit, whichwill allow Chiara to paddle in the sea for thevery first time.


In addition to manufacturing and main-taining survival suits, Survival-One provides concept design, prototypes,testing and certification, approvals, productintegration, rental services, logistics andtotal product support. With its main service and repair facilities located inPeterhead, 30 miles north of Aberdeen,Survival-One further designs and manu-factures rescue harnesses and strops forsearch and rescue, and services and repairs

life rafts, life jackets, floats, PLBs, EPIRB,strops & harnesses, seat covers and AirPocket Plus Rebreathers.

Annually, Survival-One services and repairsmore than 400,000 passenger survival suits and 8,000 aircrew survival suits andmilitary immersion suits.



by Monster Wilkins, Base Manager CHC Africa, George Base

The call came to CHC Africa’s George baseon Thursday 18th August 2005. A crewmanhad been washed off the Chinese-crewedbulk carrier Hebei Progress in rough seasabout 50 nautical miles offshore from Port Elizabeth.

A fixed wing Coastal Watch aircraft wassent to look for him but in such high seas, the chances of spotting someone’shead in the vast ocean was next to zero.However, the effort was made and we were put on standby in case he was found.

Unfortunately, the missing crewman wasnot found, but another two crewmen wereinjured in the same incident and we wereasked to medevac them to Port Elizabeth.The vessel’s master had sent the three mento secure a rope that had come loose in thehigh seas. This was a storm, but with clearair - no clouds, just strong winds andmountainous seas.

Capt. Ken Whittal, co-pilot MonsterWilkins and two engineers, Douggie Smith

Strong Winds and Mountainous Seas (winchman) and Cameron Qumba gotairborne in S-61N, registration ZS-RLK,with National Sea Rescue (NSRI) andparamedic personnel on board fromGeorge airport for the 250 nm trip to theship. It was late afternoon and the flight,east along the coast, over Knysna, past theTsitsikamma forest to Cape St. Francis wasmost pleasant, with the sun from behind.Offshore from Cape St. Francis to theHebei Progress, contact was establishedwith the vessel’s skipper to give us somedetail of conditions - of the patients and of the vessel itself. He told us that the shipwas pitching a lot and rolling up to 30°,

so we announced that we would not belanding on board! He asked if we woulduse a basket or a rope ladder and seemedtaken aback when we said we had a winch.

There was no mistaking the ship, a 253metre bulk carrier with a dozen hatches -number seven (amidships) marked forhelicopter use. It was an impressive sightto see the 830 ft ship being tossed aboutlike a trawler in high seas. Solid water wasbreaking over the port side and washing

past the hatches to fall off the other sidelike a waterfall. Unfortunately she wasdirectly into the sea, the wind and low sun, so there was a lot of spray curlingback from the bows in particular. It wasobviously a winch job and a high one atthat, to avoid the spray as much as possible,to say naught of the gyrating deck.

The injured crewmen were not stretchercases, making the winch simpler andquicker, but they needed an escort to interpret for them when they got ashore,so it was three sailors to come up.We winched Cameron down first, to helpthem get things straight on deck. Well,nothing was straight, as he can testify and it was all he could do to keep his feet under the topsy turvy conditions.Afterwards he remarked that he was nosailor as those on board were walkingabout with such ease that they looked like they were ashore. It didn’t take longfor Cameron to get things organised ondeck and we had finished all the wincheswithin 10 minutes. The seas off theEastern Cape coast of South Africa arenotoriously ugly in stormy weather andthis day was no exception. One couldappreciate how ships have had holesknocked in them and yet others (many,actually) have gone down to join DavyJones in such conditions.

The flight back to Port Elizabeth wasuneventful and after talking to the NSRIon the radio, ambulances were waiting for the injured crewmen. One had twoamputated fingers and other lacerations,whilst the other had a splinter in a badlybleeding neck wound, plus broken ribs.However, they seemed pleased to getashore - albeit in a foreign country, withno knowledge of the languages. For us itwas refueling, flight planning and back toGeorge on a gorgeous night, with the fullmoon having risen behind us to light ourway home all along the beautiful coastline.We got back to base at 20:30, happy not tobe later due to our early scheduled startthe next day at 06:00!.

It was obviously a winch job and a high one at that, to avoid the spray as much as possible, to say naught of the gyrating deck.

Ken Whittal, left, and Monster Wilkins back at the base in George, South Africa.


Capt. Greg Causer,Port Harcourt, Nigeria

If you’ve been around the internationalhelicopter industry for long, you will becertain to bump into someone you knowat the Aero Bar in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.In this West African city, CHC’s Nigerianpartner, AeroContractors of Nigeria(ACN), has a dozen pilots with approxi-mately 400 years’ experience betweenthem. Needless to say, it doesn’t take much to get a story started and there is not much in aviation that these guys have not done. Recently, a senior memberof this illustrious group eased into retirement – for now.

Capt. Bruce Morton’s aviation career has literally taken him around the world,with long stopovers in more than a halfdozen countries and stops at two CHCcompanies 25 years apart.

Originally from Eltham, New Zealand,Bruce completed a 5-year electricalapprenticeship before moving to the UK in 1963, where he later joined the

Career Spans Four ContinentsCHC/ACN veteran Captain Bruce Morton retires after 38 years

Royal Air Force (RAF). He had 18 monthstraining including his flight training forfixed-wing and helicopters, and reportedhis first solo Oct. 18, 1967 in a deHavilland Chipmunk.

Bruce went on to a two and a half yearposting in Hong Kong, where he flew the Sikorsky S-55. In his time there thesquadron reported 14 engine failures,but Bruce was one of two pilots fortunateenough not to report a single one.

While based in Hong Kong he met anEnglish school teacher named PamShelton whom he married in 1971. Afterreturning to the UK from Hong Kong,Bruce completed his Instructor Trainingand took an instructing post on fixed-wing aircraft which lasted until he left the RAF in 1975, with the rank Flt.Lt A2.

On leaving the RAF he moved to Saudi,based in Riyadh working for BritishAerospace as an Instructor on the StrikeMaster aircraft. While in Saudi, Brucebegan to study for his UK ATPL by corre-spondence and went on to obtain his

Commercial Aeroplane and AirlineTransport Helicopter licences.

By mid 1977 Pam & Bruce were back inthe UK where Bruce started flying helicop-ters in the North Sea for British Airways,which would later become part of theCHC group.

After starting in the S-61, he went on to fly the Chinook and the SA 332, and laterbecome a training captain and simulatorinstructor on all three aircraft.

In 1989 Bruce decided it was time for achange, and left to work for a trainingschool in Perth, Scotland, called AST,where he would take fixed wing studentpilots right through their licences up toATPL standards. He also became an exam-iner of airmen for the UK & Irish AviationAuthorities. Four years later, Bruce took an instructing job in the Middle East,this time in Doha, where he became theChief Flying Instructor. But the lure of theCaptain’s seat was too great and in 1996Bruce started flying helicopters again,for Gulf Helicopters, on the Bell 212/412.By 1997 Bruce had moved across to working full-time for Gulf Helicopters as an instructor.

Once again a phone call would changethings for Bruce and his family, this timewith an offer to be the CFI for a flight program with European standards atWestern Michigan University in the U.S.In 2002 after 9/11 there was a downturn inflight training, so Bruce got in touch withCHC partner AeroContractors of Nigeria(ACN), and began yet another chapter in his flying career. Late in 2005, Bruceturned 65 and retired from flying, but withhis unique combination of instruction and flight experience, it is hoped that Brucewill continue to be involved with CHCGlobal in their simulator programs.

Always a true gentleman, it has been apleasure to work alongside such a man.

Bruce Morton couldn’t resistthe lure of the captain’s seat.

CHC GLOBAL


CHC ADVENTURE

By R. Milburn

After frantic preparations, I was to fly to Toronto for a training course on De-Havilland twin otter aircraft. The trainingwas good and quite different from my previous aircraft experience. The onlyfixed wing aircraft I had ever worked onbefore was a “piston-popping” radial-engined Beaver.

A short while after the training, an airparty consisting of two aircraft with apilot and engineer for each set off on theferry flight from Toronto to Adelaide Base,Antarctica. The journey was done in sevenstages, which involved carrying fuel andequipment, with a typical take off weightof being 17,500 lbs – just a little ‘over’ thenormal all-up weight of 12,500 lbs.

We overcame severe icing over the DakotaMountains and an H.F Antenna that had wrapped around the elevator beforeproceeding to Manaus and Santa Cruz,Bolivia, where we were met by a group ofyoung boys who approached the aircraftand held out their hands. I passed aroundchocolate bars, which they accepted butkept their hands out. I was advised by oneof the Pilots who had been here beforethat they wanted protection money and I would be well advised to give it as therewas no security and I could find a wheelmissing the next day. So we gave the leaderan American ten dollar bill.

The next morning we set off very early and to my astonishment I found the littlegroup of boys sleeping around the aircraftand it was intact. Money well spent,I thought.

I will always remember my firstflight over the Drakes Passage asthe coldest, most unwelcomingand isolated stretch of sea I hadever seen.

After a few hours my pilot announced that we had reached the point of no returnand no matter what was ahead we wouldhave to face it. Eventually we landed atAdelaide Base in marginal weather with a bump. Turns out it was the pilot’s firstski landing!

The welcome from the base members was amazing. Of course, We were the firstpeople they had seen since the ship leftsome six months ago and we had mail andfresh produce for them. After removingthe ferry fuel tanks and equipment webeagn re-locating the base personnel and 48 husky dogs from Adelaide Base toRothera, a move necessitated by a rapidlydeteriorating airstrip and the unwelcomeappearance of several dangerous crevasses.

Early in the season the RRS John Biscoemanaged to get as far down the Antarcticpeninsular as Damoy point. Our firstflight there (to pick up early scientific field parties) revealed a piedmont running to

the sea with a mountain at one end and a crevasse running up the middle. I wasamazed that anyone would consider landing there, but we did. Many times wejourneyed to Damoy and I don’t mindadmitting I was terrified each time welanded flying towards a mountain, dodgingthe crevasse or launching off an ice cliffwith petrol drums in the cabin banginglike a Caribbean band.

I enjoyed the routine once I got used toit, but I didn’t enjoy living in a tent atRothera. I always felt cold and damp.However the view of my front garden wasspectacular. We soon discovered there isno room for complacency in Antarctica.As we were coming into landing at a placecalled Gomez Nunatak, some 400 milesfrom Rothera, the speed was reduced withfull flap when we pitched up and stalled.The aircraft panned into the mountain-side and those of us in the cabin wereshaken about.

After taking stock and inspecting the aircraft I made a radio call to base toannounce that the aircraft was a write-off,as the undercarriage had spread, the noseleg was pushed into the cockpit, the engineshad sprung the nacelles and the tail wastwisted by at least 10 degrees. Our partyerected tents and we settled down as bestas we could. Most of us were dazed andquite likely in a state of shock.

In April 2005, a group of 25 CHC Safety & Quality Managers, HESS Representatives and other CHC employees with safety performance rolls came togetherin Prague. This marked the first company-wide Aviation Operational Risk Management training session, and the largest gathering to date for the sharing ofbest practices to further develop a new Integrated Safety Management System. Collectively, this group represents a combined 613 years of aviation experience!Stories from that gathering inspired a new Rotortales feature: CHC Adventure.

Antarctic SalvageIn summer 1976 I had just finished a detachment inBerlin carrying out a major inspection of a military helicopter. I was looking for a fresh challenge when anopportunity to join the British Antarctic Survey arose,and I applied.


The next day, the other aircraft arrivedfrom McMurdo Sound and took us toRothera where the doctor checked us out.He declared us fit, and a day later I foundmyself back at Gomez making plans todismantle the aircraft. The next threeweeks would be remembered as the most uncomfortable I had ever endured.Although we had crash-landed in goodweather, five days later we were tunnelingthrough snow to get to the aircraft andback to the tent.

We managed to salvage engines,propellers, control surfaces andall avionics equipment, whichwere flown back to Rothera in the other aircraft. This was asevere test of stamina, enduranceand initiative.

I put the initiative part into practiceimmediately by chiseling off the nose ofthe aircraft, which forms a baggage com-partment with door, to make a ‘portaloo’.For this I received great admiration andplaudits from my colleagues who likemyself could endure most things but not performing natural functions on topof a mountain in Antarctica with a severewind up ones chuff!

Using the sledges we were able to constructladders to enable the removal of the aircraft flying control surfaces, rudder,elevators and ailerons. The props andengines were removed using a bolt-on

winch. All the parts were safely moved toan old base called Fossil Bluff on KingGeorge VI Sound. It was a good thing wesalvaged the parts, as you will see later.

I spent the rest of the season working on the new Rothera Base, building andcrating up the aircraft components. I wasto sail home via bases on the Argentine

Islands (now called Faraday); DeceptionIsland, north of the Antarctic Peninsula;Signy Island in the South Sandwich Islandsand South Georgia, with fond farewellsand libations at every stop. I enjoyed theparties (perhaps a bit too much) and fell in love with South Georgia immediately.The natural beauty and tranquillity isoverwhelming. The views are spectacularand it is easy to imagine the feelingsShackleton must have had when he finally led his men to safety in Grytvicken

whaling station after his epic sea voyage in a lifeboat. His final resting place is agrave on the hillside overlooking theHarbour and Whaling Station.

After three days in South Georgia we set sail to the Falkland Island, then on to Montevideo, followed by weeks ofnon-stop sailing to the U.K. There wererumours of a tug boat and docker strikewhich almost had people jumping ship to get to the Isle of White.

The next season I found myself back inAntarctica. The mission went very well –apart from our Canadian friends ofSurvair who transited through Rotheraand sustained damage to their aircraft.They refueled, but were stuck to the ice;even with engines at full power the aircraftwould not budge. The Survair party calledit a day. That night, however, the westerlywinds arrived and caused a lot of damage.The wind caught the aircraft tail andseverely damaged the rudder. We wouldhave been stuck were it not for the spareparts salvaged a year earlier.

We towed the aircraft to a level area and I helped the Survair guys change the rudder and elevator for the ones from VP-FAP on Gomez Nunatak. I shall alwaysconsider myself fortunate to have traveledso far and to have seen so much in such a short space off time. The memories are priceless.

In the next issue of RotorTales, we will hearfrom Nigel Woolmer, the Safety & QualityManager in Australia. Nigel has over 50years in aviation, and will be taking on a new training roll where he can share his vastexperience with the rest of the CHC group.

Bob Milburn, second row, third from the left, is CHC’sSafety and Quality Manager in Aberdeen, and the firstcontributor to CHC Adventure. Bob brings a wealth ofexperience to his position and is an example of the Safety & Quality Department’s vision of providing “…world class advisory service to management.”


Welcome aboardHELI-ONENorwayHaakon Andersen – Business SupportManager, Monica Ådland – Skilled worker/Survival work shop, Ivar Hamre – Skilledworker/Avionic work shop, Mark Boumans –System Engineer Avionics

VancouverMichael Campbell – Technician/Painter,Stephen Coetzee – Project Manager,Roar Askheim – Business Information Analyst,Ivan Whitticase – QA Manager Assistant,Blake Scott – Cleaner, Barry Tooke –Component Shop Technician, Arthur Wan –Component Shop Technician, Shireen Amijee– Supply Contracts Officer, Leianne Emery –Tender Coordinator, Wayne K.Barlow –Customer Service Officer, Helmut Neuper –World Wide Technical Records Manager, YiiFei Wang – Component Planner, Helen HaoYing-Strother – Purchaser, Salil Dhaumya –Business Information Analyst, SharonDoucelin – Business Support Assistant,Brian Pedersen – Project Officer, RobertLukawenko – Fleet Planner, Tim Blockley –Director, Fleet & Sales International, Aran Oster– Project Officer, Glen Stutt – CustomerSupport Officer, Isaev Vyacheslav –Component Planner

CorporateLiza Marie Fuentes – Senior PayrollAdministrator, Yvonne Sham – AccountsPayable Analyst, Jeff Cheah – Gss SupportLead, John Hanbury – Corporate Treasurer,Yvette O’Sullivan – Accounts Payable Analyst,Dennis Walsh – General Accountant,Donald Sahertian – Internal Auditor,Crystal Gilliard – Financial Analyst,Neil Dorken – Manager, Financial Reporting,Farhan Shaheen – Financial Analyst,Geoffrey Kellogg – Senior Tax Manager,Jack Orzechowski – Fixed Asset Accountant,Nancy O’Krafka – Manager, Compensation &Benefits, Jeffrey Scotland – Director of Merger& Acquisition, Jeannie Jimenez – User SupportAdministrator, James Long – Financial Analyst,MOVEX, Michael Pretorius – InternalAuditor, Ranjeev Sangra – Legal Counsel,Cynthia Aguila – Accounts Receivable Analyst,Josephine Pinchin – Accounts PayableAnalyst, Van Lam – Accounts Receivable Analyst

GLOBAL OPERATIONSVancouverAlan Stewart – Avionics Specialist,Nicolaas Van Der Ploeg – Director, BusinessUnit AMERICAS, Megan Johnson –Administrative Assistant, Safety & Quality,Brian MacLean – Director Of Finance, AeroCont, Jeremy Hart – Flight Standards Tech.Author, John Pineo – Manager, Fleet Assets,Vimi Nijjar – Travel Coordinator, DouglasDrummond – Fixed Wing Type Engineer,Mogens Rasmussen – Director, BusinessUnit, Phoebe Jokes – Executive Assistant/Tech Services, Huub Langeveld – VP Finance,David Leithner – Assistant Chief Pilot, MariaDuran de Egan – Recruiter, Robert ChrisRobinson – Maintenance Program Planner,Gabriella Fung – Administrative Assistant,James Swoboda – Project Planner, AllanAnderson – General Manager, Port Harcourt,Stephen Waldron – Type Engineer,Kathleen Foley – HR AdministrativeAssistant, Josette Calleja – CommercialManager, David Acton – Flight Stand. Author,Evelyn Victoria – Records Coordinator,Ian Hunt – Travel Coordinator, LudmilaKolesnitskaya – Avionics Specialist

AustraliaBronwyn Hughes – Travel Admin, Cliff Hanning – Sheet Metal Worker, Dinah Gore – Purchasing Officer, Max Marton – Quality & Safety Auditor,Robert Duckier – VPAW,Stuart Williams – O/Haul, Justin Heath –ACM, David Oakley – IT, Ross Lemke –Pilot, Guy Jackson – Pilot, Steve Simpson –Pilot, Andy Parry – Pilot, Bean Benson –Pilot, Blair Robertson – RCM, PeterMcDonell – ACM, David Land – ACM,Maria Nikas – Executive Assistant

EUROPEAN OPERATIONSAberdeenPaula Leslie – Administration Assistant,Amanda W Davidson – HSE Coordinator,Lorraine Hodgson – Quality Coordinator/Flight Ops, Peter Das – Director of FinancialServices, Andrew Langman – Pilot,Eleanor Milne – Accounts Assistant,Bjorn Tore Kjaerland – Co-Pilot, VegardHole – Co-Pilot, Tara Geddes – BusinessInformation Analyst, Erik Zwart – Co-Pilot,David Reaside -Business Development andMarketing Director, Malcolm Calder –Technical Clerk, Katriona Cunningham –Receptionist, John Stevenson – TreasuryAssistant, Linda McLellan – Accountant,

Martin Forsyth – Engineering Trainee,Andrew Smith – Co-Pilot, Ralph Wood –Co-Pilot, Nicholas Ledger – Co-Pilot,Adrian Hallas – Co-Pilot, Tim Dunton –Co-Pilot, Jason o’Flynn – Co-Pilot, MaiaChristiansen – Co-Pilot, Geoffrey Packer –Co-Pilot, Justin Harrington Wells – Co-Pilot,Marie Holloway – Employee RelationsManager

BlackpoolJohn Howard – Co-Pilot, Simon Foddering– Co-Pilot, David Whitby – CertifyingTechnician, Steven McNeill – CertifyingTechnician

HumbersideShane Bellamy – Dispatch Officer

North DenesMartyn Smith – Mechanic, SteveBroomhead – Certifying Technician,Joe Ramsey – Certifying Technician,David Baldry – Temporary Ramp Dispatch,Tony Garside – Co-Pilot

ShannonMichael Cook – Winch Operator/Winchman

WaterfordMichael Farquhar – SAR Co-Pilot,John Collicut – Captain,Katie Williams – Winchman

Promotions/changesHELI-ONENorwayTor Bergersen – Team leader avionics,Henning Danielsen – Senior Purchaser,Ken Vidar Pedersen – Senior Planner AssetControl, Bjørn Åge Dybdahl-Holthe –Director of Business Applications GlobalSystems, Bente Kartevoll – Chief of recep-tion/post department, Christian Scheiene –Skilled worker, Kjetil Sævereid – Skilled work-er, Leif Egil Torkelsen – Customer Servicedelivery (CSD) Manager

EUROPEAN OPERATIONSGary Queen – Chief Pilot,John McCartney – Training Crewman,Noel Donnelly – Base Manager, StevePyttlik – Chief Pilot, Wendy Mottram –Procurement Manager, Rob Goodbody – LineTraining Captain, Brian Brophy – LineTraining Captain, Andrew Thom – CRMFacilitator (and pilot!), Margaret Bodman –Purchasing Assistant, John Cooper –Engineering Supervisor

Peoplearound the world


Departures/RetiredCORPORATEMark Gosse – Assistant Director – Finance,Teri Price – Payroll Manager,Sheryl Dunwoody – Payroll Manager,Aman Atwal – Director/Financial Services,Michelle Roberts – Payroll Administrator

HELI-ONENorwayMagne Bjellebø – Quality Manager,Emilie Hagen – Receptionist, Jan ErikHogstad – Skilled worker, Bjørn ToreKjærland – Mechanic, Heidi Kleppe –Secretary, Tormod Langballe – DirectorLogistics, Ronny Lie – Skilled worker,Torunn Swisher – Contract advicer,Olav Thorsen – Skilled worker, JørgenØvretveit – Skilled worker, Åse Arnesen –Skilled worker, Stein Asbjørnsen – QualityEngineer, Oddvar Eide – Receiving inspector,Harald Gimre – Skilled worker

VancouverMichael A Lycett – Receiver,Jeannine Bitter – Purchaser,Kimberly Raabe – Business Support Assistant

EUROPEAN OPERATIONSDominic Howlett – Co-Pilot, Steve Johnson – Head of Procurement, Allan Gray– Engineer, Alan Veale – Flight Standards Co-ordinator, Koula Elvin – EngineeringTechnical Clerk, Deborah Buchan –Certifying Technician, George Santos – Co-pilot, Mike Kenhard – Technical TrainingOfficer, Seamus Clare – EngineeringSupervisor/Base Manager, Roy Middleton –GSS Financial Systems Analyst, TobyHeiermann – Co-Pilot, John O’Rourke –Winch Operator, Justin Steggles – Ops Dispatch Officer, Richard Eaves – Ramp Dispatch, Gordon Burnett – CertifiedTechnician A&C, Geoff Roper – TechnicalTraining Manager, John Webster – SeniorTech A&C, Mike Shaw – Captain

GLOBAL OPERATIONSVancouverJerry Jackson – (no applicable code),Susan Hamilton – (no applicable code),William R. Olsen – Manager, DesignEngineering, Ken J. Steele – Director, BusinessUnit AFRICA, Sharon Stafford – TravelCoordinator, Suzanne Clarke – Head, BidsAnd Contracts, Alaina Saarela – RecordsCoordinator

AustraliaSteve Saddler – Pilot, Bruce Cottam –Engineer, Susanne Potter – Logistics,Phill Pearce – Pilot, John Zeid – Pilot,Craig Barraclough – Manager, AndrewMottram – ACM, Andy Baker – Pilot,Cindy Mason – SBE, Adam Harris – ACM,Jennie McBeath – Sales & Marketing Assistant,Gary Williams – O/Haul, Bernard Williams– Pilot, Rob McBeath – Store

AwardsHELI-ONE (NORWAY)35 yearsPer Smitt-Amundsen

30 yearsGunnar Gundersen, Torfinn Haugstad,Oddvar Risa

25 yearsOtto Alsnes, Haakon Magelie,Arild I. Moen, Birger Berntsen, Lars OleEllingsæter, Ove Birkedal, Per Arne Bråten,Einar Kverneland, Rigmor Nordberg,Leif E. Pedersen, Sigbjørn Skjæveland,Audun Stangeland, Sigve Stavnem,Roy Øvrebø

20 yearsTorstein Fjermestad, Trond KjetilHammer, Edvin Holstad, Arne Jacobsen,Bent Klever, Magne Lillejord, Tor AtleLillejord, Brynjulf Lomeland, Rune Nesse

10 yearsTor Bergersen, Tom Breisnes,Kjetil Fuglestad, Trine Glestad, JoarOmmundsen, Bjør Aslaug Tjelta

EUROPEAN OPERATIONS25 yearsJohn Ambrose, Richard Lomberg,Harry Harrison, Ian Sutherland,Ronald French

20 yearsGeoff Roper, Tricia Laing, Jerry Vaughan,Mark Gamblen, David Plaistow, StuartJackson

15 yearsDavid Richardson, Jason Fakes, SandyThom, Ian Chandler, David Leeman,Stephen O’Collard, Gary Kendall, DavidLippeatt, Stephen Cropper, Michael Davey,Daniel Porter

MarriageEUROPEAN OPERATIONSBrian Brophy and Sinead O’Driscoll married August 26, 2005.

Lisa Duncan and Chris Birnie marriedAugust 20, 2005.

HELI-ONEVancouverClaudine Ranger and John Zerbinos married November 19, 2005.

BirthsEUROPEAN OPERATIONSPaul Carey’s (Engineering) wife had a baby boy, Mark, on the 5 May 2005.

Richard Foley’s (Ramp) wife Katie had a baby boy; Clark Henry Foley,on the 30 June 2005 weighing

Samantha (HR Team Leader/ABZ) & Tony Waldram had a baby girl, Pyper,on the 2 July 2005.

Craig Webster’s (First Officer) wifeKatherine had a baby boy, Nairn Peter,on the 28 July 2005

David Preston’s (Captain) wife Jo had a baby boy, Stanley James Cosmo,on the 29 August 2005

Maxine Ackerley (Pilot) & Richard had a baby boy, Sebastian,on the 10 October 2005

Andy Rees (Pilot) wife had a baby girl,Lana, on the 22 October 2005.

GLOBAL OPERATIONSAfricaPaul Doxey (Captain, Nambia) and hiswife Nicola had a baby boy, Ethan,on the 25 October 2005

DeathAustralia

CHC regrets toannounce the passing of MikeSkewes, of a heart attack onOctober 25, 2006.

Geoff Roper receives20-year award fromKeith Mullett.

Claudine Ranger& John Zerbinos

Lisa Duncan &Chris Birnie


Rotortales is the employee magazine for CHC HelicopterCorporation, produced four times per year. All material is gatheredand written by CHC employees for CHC employees and interestedparties. No material contained within Rotortales magazine may be reproduced without permission of CHC Helicopter Corporation.For questions or comments, or to submit an article or photos forpublication, please contact CHC Helicopter Corporation Director of Communications Chris Flanagan, by telephone at 604-279-2493,or by e-mail at [email protected], or forward correspondence toCHC Helicopter Corporation, 4740 Agar Drive, Richmond, BC,Canada, V7B 1A3. For more information on the company, pleasevisit the website www.chc.ca.

RotorTales

CHC HeadquartersVancouverChris FlanaganDirector of [email protected]

CHC European OperationsAberdeenKaren MacConnellExecutive [email protected]

StavangerSidsel MyreExecutive [email protected]

CHC Global OperationsVancouverNancy CrowleyExecutive [email protected]

Cape TownCheryl PedersenCommercial [email protected]

AdelaideMaria NikasExecutive [email protected]

Heli-OneVancouverChristina GagnoBusiness Support [email protected]

StavangerBirgit Smeby Executive [email protected]

ROTORTALES CONTACT LIST

Humberside’s hat-trick of baby boysby Jay Gates

They say that things happen in threes; thiswas the case for three births within threemonths at a single base. All three were boysborn to fathers in the Flight OperationsDepartment of the CHC Base atHumberside, Eng.

First up to the plate was Clark HenryFoley, the first born to Richard and KatieFoley (left). Richard is a Ramp Handler atHumberside. Clark was born prematurelyon June 30th, weighing in at 4lbs 6ozs.He is now putting on the pounds andkeeping his Dad awake at night.

Next came Nairn Peter Webster(centre),the second born to Craig and KatherineWebster. Craig is a First Officer, flying theSikorsky S-76C at Humberside. Plans for

a home birth had to be put aside as Nairnarrived ahead of schedule on July 28th,weighing in at a healthy 8lbs 7ozs.

Last up to bat for Humberside this summerwas Stanley James Cosmo Preston (right),born August 29th to David and Jo Preston.David is a Captain, flying the Sikorsky-S76C at Humberside. Jo’s pregnancy wasdifficult, as she developed a kidney stoneduring the pregnancy, and a C-Section hadto be performed after 21 hours of labour.Stanley weighed in at a healthy 8lbs 8ozs.

If Clark, Nairn and Stanley follow in theirfather’s footsteps, this baby ‘hat-trick’could ensure that the worldwide shortageof helicopter pilots never hits close toHumberside.

NEXT ISSUE:

CHC’s new livery

Journey of 1,000 Steps

Ah, the places our aircraft have been.Consider for a moment the process CHCand Heli-One went through to get an air-craft to Songkhla, Thailand, to fill in foraircraft rotating through maintenanceschedules.

First, an available aircraft had to be identified, no easy feat. Fortunately, CHC’sSikorsky S-61 PH-NZK in the Netherlandswas being phased out. When its contractexpired, the aircraft was partially disas-

sembled, documented, crated, insured andshipped to Liverpool en route to Halifax,Canada, where it would be re-registered C-FGDO.

In Halifax, Regional Director BarryClouter and AME Supervisor WoodyBrinson coordinated volumes of paper-work, transportation to the airport,reassembly and preparation for a ferryflight of some 5,000 kilometres acrossCanada to Vancouver. Next, Heli-One andpartner disassembled the aircraft for its10,500-hour major inspection, refurbish-ment, modification and painting.

Once rebuilt, the aircraft underwentextensive test flights and was once againpartially disassembled, crated, documentedand loaded aboard another ship, boundfor Singapore. After clearing a labyrinth of customs and officialdom – and given apolice-escort through Singapore on aflatbed – C-FGDO was met by pilots Blain Foreman and Khun Wim and flown,at last, to Songkhla. Re-registered as HS-HDO, the S-61 began regular flightoperations Jan. 1. 2006 – four months after leaving the Netherlands. Just likeclockwork.

rotor tales_01_2006

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