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Equinor : Lufttransport RW AS selected as operator for new helicopters

January 31, 2025 at 02:29 am EST

 

Lufttransport RW AS selected as operator for new helicopters

31 January 202507:00(UTC)

 

Norwegian company Lufttransport RW AS wins contract to fly five AW189-type helicopters from manufacturer Leonardo, with departures from Sola and Florø. Milestone Aviation Group is the registered owner of the helicopters.

 

Photo: Leonardo

Equinor has awarded Tromsø-based Lufttransport RW AS the assignment of operating five new helicopters from manufacturer Leonardo. They will be used to transport passengers on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) from Sola and Florø.

The five new helicopters are type AW189 aircraft, which are part of a new generation of helicopters that will be operating on the NCS.

More helicopter types on the NCS

Last year, Equinor signed agreements to procure 15 new helicopters, aimed at reducing reliance on the single model currently in use. In addition to the five helicopters from Leonardo, Bell will deliver 10 Bell 525 helicopters starting from 2026.

Ørjan Kvelvane, Equinor's senior vice president Operation and Maintenance in Exploration & Production Norway (EPN)

Photo: Arne Reidar Mortensen / Equinor

"The safety of our employees who travel by helicopter is our utmost priority. New helicopters will make helicopter traffic more robust. Safe, predictable and efficient transportation is crucial to safely maintain a high activity level on the NCS for many years to come," says Ørjan Kvelvane, Equinor's senior vice president Operation and Maintenance in Exploration & Production Norway (EPN).

Extensive experience

The contract with Norwegian company Lufttransport is the first operator agreement after the new helicopters were ordered, also for the purpose of supplementing the current Sikorsky S-92.

Lufttransport has extensive experience in dealing with challenging Norwegian conditions, their safety record is good and both the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and Equinor have deemed the company qualified to carry out offshore flights. The company will also conduct search and rescue operations for Equinor starting in early 2026, under a contract awarded one year ago.

Newer, tried and true type of helicopter

"Lufttransport is the operator with most experience with Leonardo helicopters in Norway, which is an advantage as we introduce these new helicopters," Kvelvane says.

The AW189 helicopters from Leonardo represent a newer type of helicopter with thoroughly tested technology and excellent safety. This particular helicopter type is used throughout the offshore industry worldwide. The AW189 also features good passenger comfort, noise reduction and lower emissions, in addition to good support systems for the pilots.

The two first helicopters will arrive in Norway in spring 2025, and will gradually commence operations over the course of the summer and autumn. The remaining three helicopters will be delivered and put to use in 2026.

Assuming ownership

Equinor has also entered into an agreement with Milestone Aviation Group, the global leader in helicopter leasing. The company will assume ownership of the AW189 helicopters when they are handed over by Leonardo.

Mette Ottøy, Equinor's senior vice president supply chain management

Photo: Kjetil Eide / Equinor

"Through this agreement, we've secured long-term rights to manage these helicopters ourselves, and the contract with Lufttransport gives us a third operator for shuttle services on the NCS, alongside CHC and Bristow. We've managed to put a set of innovative agreements in place to ensure that we have good technical solutions that provide more robust operations," says Mette Ottøy, Equinor's senior vice president supply chain management.

The fixed agreement with Lufttransport has a duration of around seven years, with options totalling six years. The total value of the contract, including options, is estimated at around seven billion Norwegian kroner.

The agreement with Milestone has an estimated total value of just over two billion Norwegian kroner for a contract duration of up to 20 years.

Union involvement

The trade unions in Equinor, including the safety delegate service, have been involved in the process and take a positive view of the helicopter type that has been selected. They made the following joint statement:

"These helicopters have the quality and characteristics that we want on the NCS. These new helicopter types have been developed with focus on safety, improved comfort, less noise and less vibration."

Facts

• Equinor has an extensive aviation program and transports offshore employees to installations on the NCS. Round-trip journeys to/from the NCS amount to 160,000 flights per year, or more than 24,000 annual flying hours.
• Over the next few years, Equinor will receive ten new Bell525 helicopters, and five Leonardo AW189s.
• The first two helicopters will be delivered from Leonardo in the first quarter of 2025. Then, in 2026, Leonardo will deliver three and Bell will deliver four helicopters. The remaining six helicopters from Bell will be delivered during the period from 2027-2030.
• AW189 and Bell525 are both super medium-type helicopters, with 16 passenger seats available. The helicopters will be equipped for the conditions they will face and the stringent requirements in force on the NCS.
• Leonardo AW189 is manufactured by the Italian conglomerate Leonardo, which also manufactures the AW139. Equinor will use the AW139 for search and rescue starting from 2026, also with Lufttransport as operator. Both are well-known helicopter types in the global offshore industry.
• Since 2016, Equinor has used Sikorsky S-92 helicopters for personnel transport and search and rescue services on the NCS (since moving away from the EC225).

Who is allowed to conduct helicopter assignments on the NCS?

• Companies that operate SAR and/or passenger flights on the NCS must be approved by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority.
• In order to fly for Equinor, the company must be qualified via a rigorous process including a review of the entire company - including operational, technical, organisational and resource factors.
• A qualification takes place over several stages and an extensive period. A start-up verification must be performed before the contract is initiated.
• For assignments on the NCS, Equinor qualifies new helicopter types that are already in use in the offshore sector. Other factors such as environmental considerations and experience from various types of use come in addition.