Indian offshore passenger transport operator Pawan Hans Helicopters is to embark on a fleet renewal programme after signing a memorandum of understanding with Eurocopter late last year.
The company, which operates a mixed fleet of 31 helicopters, largely for transporting oil workers, has ordered two 11-seat Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphins for delivery early next year. This will be followed by further aircraft in the next five years, it says.The deal requires approval from the Indian military and is the result of a 12-month study into future requirements, launched by the state-owned operator. N V Sridhar, Pawan Hans chairman and managing director, says the aircraft will join the company's fleet of 19 Dauphins, including two N3s, based in Mumbai and used at oil and natural gas installations in the Mumbai Basin. The company is likely to establish a new base close to Chennai as the Indian government moves towards self- sufficiency in oil exploration. Sridhar says: "The oil industry in India is expanding, with new explorations taking place in the Bay of Bengal and deposits being found off the coast of Chennai. We anticipate growing our operations in line with this."
Sridhar says expansion in oil exploration will more than offset the reduction in demand brought about by the increased use of unmanned platforms and shared ferry flights in the Mumbai Basin.
Dauphin pilots often have to reduce payloads to around five passengers in the summer when temperatures exceed 38°C (101°F). Pawan Hans may start a shuttle using a Mil Mi-172 from Mumbai to an offshore hub, with Dauphins dedicated to shorter journeys within the oil fields.
The company is calling for a new rule to enable civilian pilots to fly under instrument flight rules. Only visual flight rules operations are permitted at present, which, Pawan Hans says restricts offshore flying during low-visibility conditions.
Source: Flight International