Bristow Accepts 1st Sikorsky S-92 Helicopter For Long-Term SAR Services in UK

September 09, 2014

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Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Bristow Group Inc. today announced the acceptance of an S-92® helicopter by Bristow Helicopters Ltd. The helicopter, configured for search and rescue service, was accepted during a ceremony at the Sikorsky facility in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Bristow Helicopters Ltd. is affiliated with Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS). Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

In March 2013, Bristow Helicopters Ltd. was awarded the contract to provide search and rescue helicopter service in the United Kingdom. The contract begins in April 2015 and runs until 2026. Bristow Helicopters Ltd.’s U.K. SAR (search and rescue) fleet of 22 aircraft will include 11 Sikorsky S-92 helicopters that are fitted with state-of-the-art technology.

Under the U.K. SAR contract, Bristow will operate from 10 bases across the U.K., strategically located near areas of high SAR incident rates. These include Inverness, Manston, Prestwick, Caernarfon, Humberside, Newquay, St Athan, Lee-on-Solent, Sumburgh and Stornoway.

“We are very excited to receive the first aircraft from Sikorsky for our U.K. search and rescue fleet,” said Jonathan Baliff, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bristow Group Inc. “With more than 60 S-92 helicopters already in our inventory, we have come to know and appreciate the aircraft’s mission capabilities.”

“At Sikorsky, we stand behind our mission statement: ’We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere…every time,’” said Carey Bond, President, Sikorsky Commercial Systems & Services. “Bristow has a long history of search and rescue, and we are proud to support their efforts in the United Kingdom to bring people home. Sikorsky would also like to thank the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Bristow as the operator for their choice of the S-92 helicopter for this very critical mission.”

Sikorsky and Bristow have done business for more than 40 years. The Bristow fleet currently features more than 160 Sikorsky aircraft of various types.

Source : Sikorsky Aircraft, A United Technologies Company (NYSE:UTX)