Babcock Aviation Helicopter Trials
The Babcock Aviation Onshore team based in Cork recently completed a detailed programme of helicopter trials and training for the introduction of a new offshore Dive Support Vessel (DSV). The trials were delivered as part of a major decommissioning project on behalf of customer PSE Kinsale Energy Ltd. (formerly Marathon Oil Ireland Ltd.) using Eurocopter EC135 T2+ EI-KEL.
After a successful trials programme and helideck inspection, teams have now started providing crew-change flights to and from the vessel. Maureen Walsh, Base Manager for the Cork base said: “Our teams in Ireland and across the UK are specialists in HEMS and Oil and Gas crew transport, but gaining the right approvals for operating a new vessel is an essential regulatory requirement.
“We managed the training flights completely in-house and planned them around the vessel’s programme so we were able to get all the right approvals in place without disrupting our customer’s schedule. A great start to continued operations with Kinsale Energy.”
About the Author
Mark Dwyer Mark is an airline pilot flying the Boeing 737 for a major European airline. In addition he is also a Type Rating Instructor, Type Rating Examiner and Base Training Captain on the B737. Outside of commercial flying Mark enjoys flying light aircraft from the smallest 3 Axis microlights up to heavier singles. He is also an instructor and EASA Examiner on single engines and a UK CAA Examiner. He flies the Chipmunk for the Irish Historic Flight Foundation (IHFF). Mark became the Chairman of the National Microlight Association of Ireland (NMAI) in 2013 and has overseen a massive growth in the organisation. In this role he has worked at local and national levels. In 2015, Mark won ‘Upcoming Aviation Professional Award’ at the Aviation Industry Awards sponsored by the IAA. Mark launched this website back in 2002 while always managing the website, he has also been Editor and Deputy Editor of FlyingInIreland Magazine from 2005 to 2015.
