Vancouver, Canada-based CHC Helicopter has formalised its order, originally announced in September, for nine Sikorsky S-92 helicopters with a further 15 aircraft covered by options.
The helicopters will be used for oil and gas transportation work as well as "possible search and rescue operations", says the manufacturer.
Deliveries of the first five S-92s are scheduled for 2015 with the remainder following the year after. If the options are exercised the 12t-class rotorcraft will arrive in the 2015-2018 period. CHC already operates a fleet of 38 Sikorsky S-92s.
The latest deal for the S-92 means that the US-built type has so far this year out-sold and out-delivered its rival in the offshore segment, the Eurocopter EC225.
According to Flightglobal's Ascend Online Fleets database, Sikorsky has so far this year delivered 33 S-92s compared with Eurocopter's tally of just 10 Super Pumas.
And in terms of orders, Sikorsky has netted 34 firm commitments for its helicopter against 21 at Eurocopter. However, both CHC and Bristow Group have recently indicated they intend to firm options – four for each operator – for the EC225. And earlier this month EADS, Eurocopter's parent, indicated that the manufacturer had booked orders for 17 Super Puma aircraft – which covers both the EC225 and the military EC725 – for the period ended 30 September.
Eurocopter's delivery and sales effort for the 11t helicopter has been hampered this year by the gearbox problems that dogged the EC225 and led to the grounding of large parts of the global fleet.
Restrictions covering overwater flights of the EC225 were only lifted in July and operators are slowly returning their fleets to service.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
