WITH OFFSHORE exploration in the Dutch Continental Shelf going into reverse, KLM Era helicopters is now planning to expand its UK operations.
A large recruitment drive is being mounted on the expectation of winning additional contracts to service oil and gas fields offshore from East Anglia. Diversification into onshore activities is also planned.
KLM Era already has two Sikorsky S-76B and three Sikorsky S-61N helicopters stationed at Norwich, and will be adding to these when required. It also plans to replace the older S-61Ns with more recent S-76Bs. The company's 15-strong twin-engine fleet comprises eight S-76Bs, five S-61Ns and two MBB BO.105CBS, all equipped for instrument-flight-rules operations.
The recruitment drive is due in part to internal restructuring, which, says operations director Jan Nip, could result in the loss of helicopter pilots and technicians to fixed-wing operations within the KLM Group, to overcome a shortage of qualified personnel.
Source: Flight International
