Equinor Expands Offshore Fleet with New Leonardo AW189 Helicopters to Strengthen NCS Operations

Equinor Expands Offshore Fleet with New Leonardo AW189 Helicopters to Strengthen NCS Operations

(IN BRIEF) Equinor has awarded Tromsø-based Lufttransport RW AS the contract to operate five new Leonardo AW189 helicopters on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), enhancing its fleet for offshore transportation services. These helicopters, arriving in 2025 and 2026, will replace older models and offer improved safety, comfort, and lower emissions, supporting Equinor’s sustainability goals. Equinor has also partnered with Milestone Aviation Group to secure long-term ownership of the AW189 helicopters. The fleet expansion includes 10 Bell 525 helicopters, scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2030. With these enhancements, Equinor aims to strengthen its operational capabilities and maintain high safety standards for offshore personnel transport.

(PRESS RELEASE) STAVANGER, 31-Jan-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Equinor has awarded Tromsø-based Lufttransport RW AS the contract to operate five new Leonardo AW189 helicopters on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), marking a significant step in its ongoing efforts to enhance offshore operations. The new helicopters will serve as part of the company’s strategy to improve transportation services, with a focus on reliability, safety, and sustainability. Starting from early 2025, these helicopters will provide services from Sola and Florø, adding to Equinor’s fleet and further strengthening its infrastructure for offshore activities.

The AW189, a next-generation helicopter, will replace older models, offering improved safety features, comfort, and lower emissions, all while supporting the company’s decarbonization goals. The five new helicopters, which include two set to arrive in spring 2025, will be operated by Lufttransport, a company with extensive experience handling the demanding conditions of the NCS. Lufttransport’s robust safety record and experience in operating Leonardo helicopters made it an ideal partner for this project. By 2026, all five AW189s will be in operation, providing critical shuttle services for Equinor’s offshore personnel.

In addition to the operational enhancements, Equinor has secured ownership of the AW189 helicopters through a partnership with Milestone Aviation Group. This long-term leasing agreement will grant Equinor full control over the helicopters, ensuring greater flexibility and security for its future operations on the NCS. The collaboration with Lufttransport is part of Equinor’s broader strategy to diversify its helicopter fleet and strengthen its operational capabilities with a third shuttle operator, complementing existing partnerships with CHC and Bristow.

The trade unions representing Equinor employees have expressed their support for the new helicopters, highlighting their advanced safety features and passenger comfort, which meet the stringent requirements of the NCS. The collaboration with Lufttransport, along with the significant improvements in equipment, ensures Equinor remains at the forefront of offshore personnel transportation.

The fleet expansion also includes 10 Bell 525 helicopters, scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2030. Both the Bell 525 and Leonardo AW189 are super-medium helicopters, equipped to handle the challenging conditions of offshore operations. Equinor’s aviation program continues to be a key component of its offshore operations, with over 160,000 flights annually, underscoring the importance of reliable and safe transportation for its workforce.

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.

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SOURCE: Equinor