First Two Of 16 To Be Acquired By The Company

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. has delivered the first two S-92 baseline helicopters to Bond Aviation Group, the first of 16 to be delivered under the largest one-time acquisition of S-92 aircraft ever received by Sikorsky. The company signed the contract with Sikorsky earlier this year. Sikorsky will customize the helicopters for offshore oil operations.

"Our group is committed to safety as the utmost priority for our customers, and the S-92 helicopter represents the latest technology in terms of design and safety," said Richard Mintern, Chief Executive Officer of Bond Aviation Group. "This, combined with its payload, speed and range capabilities, makes the S-92 an ideal choice for the oil & gas and search & rescue missions, and thus an excellent choice for Bond and for our customers. I am also very proud to announce that these first two aircraft will be operated by our new business in Norway, Norsk Helikopter Service."
 
"Bond Aviation Group is a premier helicopter services provider and Sikorsky is proud to see the S-92 helicopter join the Bond Aviation fleet on the merits of its performance as a safe, robust and reliable aircraft," said Ed Beyer, Vice President of Sikorsky Global Helicopters. "The S-92 helicopter is enjoying a healthy backlog well into 2016, as operators of offshore oil operations continue to rely on its proven platform. The aircraft also is seeing significant opportunities in the search & rescue and utility missions."
 
The S-92 helicopter is one of the largest in its heavy offshore class. Since entering service in September 2004, the S-92 fleet has grown to more than 150 aircraft. Helicopter transport companies serving the offshore oil and gas industry operate approximately 66 percent of the fleet, and currently account for 90 percent of the fleet's total flight hours, which are on a pace to reach 500,000 hours in early 2013.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.sikorsky.com