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Norway Offshore Guide

Introduction

Norway sees a lot of offshore helicopter traffic related to the oil and gas industry. CHC Helikopter Service and Bristow Norway operate regular scheduled flights between mainland bases and oil fields along the entire norwegian coast. These operators also fly SAR flights on contracts from the norwegian government.

Offshore helicopter procedures are somewhat specialized and tailored to the risks and challenges involved with flying far out over the seas in harsh enviroments. This guide is intended as a simplified summary of the unique helicopter procedures, flight planning procedures and radiotelephony used in offshore flying, for pilots and ATC wanting to simulate it on the network.

Sources: Avinor Helicopter Manual, AIP Norway

General

Flightplan requirements

All offshore helicopters operating within Balder, Ekofisk, Statfjord and Heidrun CTA are required to have an ADS-B transponder.

This must be indicated in the flightplan by adding B1 or B2 to the transponder equipment code.

Flight plans to sea vessels/temporary installations not given a ENxx identifier, shall have ZZZZ as destination, coordinates of the vessel terminating the route, and DEST/NAME OF VESSEL added to the remark field.

Example flight plan

Screenshot 2026-01-13 142124.png

Cruising Altitudes

Civil helicopters operating to and from off-shore installations in the North Sea where air traffic services are provided by Norway, will outside controlled airspace be operating at following altitudes, based on area/forecast QNH minimum.

Magnetic track Altitude
000 ̊ - 179 ̊ 3000FT
180 ̊ - 359 ̊ 2000FT

If conditions or other circumstances necessitate operations below 2000 FT, ATS shall be informed as soon as possible.

Normally the following altitudes based on radar altimeter will be used.

Magnetic track Altitude
000 ̊ - 179 ̊ 1000FT
180 ̊ - 359 ̊ 500FT
From ENKB to offshore destinations EVEN altitudes/Levels. To ENKB from offshore departure ODD altitudes/Levels.

Helicopter Routes

Helicopter Routes (HR) are established in that part of the North Sea and Norwegian Sea where Norway is responsible for providing ATS (REF AIP Norway GEN 3.3).

A HR is an ATS-route frequently used by civil helicopters, along which control and flight information service may be provided. They can be directional or bi-directional.

Civil helicopters are normally operating within 4 NM either side of the HR from 1000 FT AMSL to FL 80.

The HR (KY tracks) shall be utilizied outside surveillance coverage. Within surveillance-coverage, flights may be routed on direct track by ATS.

Example of helicopter routes in South Norway

Map of Helicopter Routes in South-Norway

Cruising below a CTA

Flights planned at 1000 FT shall follow a HR. If the flight is planning to follow a bidirectional HR (e.g KY916), this procedure shall be used:

Magnetic track Altitude
360 ̊ - 179 ̊ 1000FT
180 ̊ - 359 ̊ 2000FT or above*

*If the flight will be provided with surveillance service, and there is no conflicting opposite traffic on the HR, 1000FT might be requested. If there is conflicting traffic at 1000FT, the flight has to be conducted within the CTA, and a request for clearance at 2000FT or above is required.

Altimeter setting

For flights at 1000 FT or lower, radar altimeter shall be used.

Within Polaris FIR south of 66.20 ̊N, altimeter setting at 7000 FT or lower is based on actual area QNH.

  • ATS will provide QNH for the QNH Areas.
  • A change to a new QNH shall be carried out when instructed by ATS.
  • Transition Level for a CTA will be determined based on the lowest observed area QNH inside the CTA.
  • Transiton Altitude is 7000FT
Example of QNH Areas in Southwest Norway

QNH Areas

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Within Polaris FIR north of 66.20 ̊N, altimeter setting is based on Forecasted Minimum QNH within Altimeter Setting Regions (ASR) Bjørnøya and Tromsøflaket.

  • An estimate of the lowest QNH value for a longer period will be made for the Altimeter Setting Region and is available from ATS provider or MET office.
Example of QNH Areas and Altimiter Setting Regions in North Norway

QNH Areas and ASR (Altimeter Setting Regions)

ADS areas

ADS areas are defined areas of Class G airspace, either below a CTA (MSL – 1500 FT), or a specific area (MSL – FL 085) between the main land bases and the main oilfields where radar- and/or ADS-based ATS is provided to participating helicopters.

Example of ADS equippedArea helicopters.without CTA

Screenshot 2026-01-13 144638.png

Control Areas (CTA)

Defined Control Areas are established on the Norwegian continental shelf with Class-D Airspace, from 1500 FT- FL085. Heidrun CTA is established in the Norwegian Sea. Statfjord CTA, Balder CTA and Ekofisk CTA are established in the North Sea.

Example of CTA with ADS below

Screenshot 2026-01-13 150347.png

Helicopter Traffic Zones (HTZ)

A HTZ is established at all permanent offshore installations on the Norwegian continental shelf within a radius of 7 NM from the landing pad and comprises the airspace between MSL and 2000 FT, or to the lower limit of a CTA. Around groups of two or more installations, and with distance of less than 10 NM from each other, a common HTZ is established with the border tangential to a 7 NM radius from the landing pads.

Helicopter Traffic Zones are Radio Mandatory Zones (RMZ) and two-way radio contact must be established with the approriate ATS-facility before entry.

Helicopter procedures

Onshore

Instrument Procedures

VFR Procedures

Offshore

Enroute let-down

Standard Offshore Approach

Airborne Radar Approach (ARA)

Communication

Air Traffic Service

Air traffic service provided for helicopter operations on the Norwegian continental shelf:

Southern Norway

Area Service Provided by
Statfjord CTA Air Traffic Control Polaris ACC Stavanger
Balder CTA
Ekofisk CTA
Statfjord ADS Flight Information
Balder ADS
Balder ADS
Tampen HTZ Tampen HFIS
Ekofisk HTZ Ekofisk HFIS
HTZ Polaris ACC Stavanger

Middle and Northern Norway

Area Service Provided by
Heidrun CTA Air Traffic Control Polaris ACC Bodø
Heidrun ADS Flight Information
Norne ADS
Barents Sea
HTZ

Radio communication

In real life, communications between the helicopter and offshore installation is carried out on a designated helicopter/rig-communication frequency. This is not simulated on VATSIM, and pilots will not be informed about unknown traffic occupying the helideck.

On-deck report

After landing on an installation, pilots shall deliver an on-deck report to the appropriate ATS unit, and shall contain:

  1. Callsign
  2. Name on the installation
  3. Actual time of arrival (ATA)
  4. Additional information if required (e.g. refueling, shut down)

NOR123, on deck, Gullfaks C at 50

NOR123, on deck, Gullfaks C at 1450, shutting down

Pre-lift-off report

Prior to lift-off from any installation, pilots shall deliver a pre-lift-off report to the appropriate ATS unit, and shall contain:

  1. Callsign
  2. Location
  3. Intended route
  4. Intended altitude or level

The appropriate ATS unit shall provide traffic information before lift-off is initiated.

NOR123, ready for lift, Gullfaks C to Flesland, via flight planned route, 3000ft

NOR123, ready for lift, Gullfaks C to Martin Linge via NEBAV direct NASET, 2000ft

Airborne report

If not covered by other procedures, after take-off from an offshore installation, pilots shall deliver an airborne report to the appropriate ATS unit as soon as practicable, and shall contain:

  1. Callsign
  2. Actual time of departure (ATD) from installation
  3. Actual/intended altitude or level
  4. If routing via HR and no surveillance service is provided: ETO next reporting point and entry point TMA/TIZ.

NOR123, airborne Gullfaks C at 55, passing 600, climbing 1500

NOR123, airborne Ekofisk L at 31, passing 700, climbing 1000, estimate AGUVI at 36, ELBEM at 1820

Operations within a HFIS HTZ

Standard calls while operating within a HFIS HTZ:

  • Pre-lift-off report
  • Airborne report
  • On deck report

During marginal weather conditions, additional information to the standard calls above shall be made when applicable:

  • Departure heading and altitude
  • Intentions
  • ARA

ARA

If planning an Airborne Radar Approach, pilots shall inform the appropriate ATS unit of the following information:

  1. ARA to (destination)
  2. Final inbound course
  3. Course in case of Missed Approach
  4. Will call passing IP

NOR123, intentions to do an A R A to Ula, inbound course 040, missed approach left turn on course 355, will call passing I P

Enroute and approach to an oil field

Outbound traffic from landbase to offshore destination, shall give an estimate for an entry point (HTZ) or destination rig on the initial call to ACC.

On initial contact for flights inbound to an oilfield, the initial call or position report shall contain:

  1. Callsign
  2. ATIS Information letter (if available)
  3. Position
  4. Altitude
  5. Estimate time over (ETO) point of entry
  6. Intentions: Visual approach direct to (destination) / Cloud break, direct to (destination) / ARA
  7. ETA destination

Polaris control, NOR123, with Gullfaks information A, inbound NECUD, 2000ft, estimate NECUD at 40, intentions to do a visual approach direct to Kvitebjørn, estimate Kvitebjørn at 50

Shuttle (inter-rig flights)

For shuttle flights between adjacent rigs, the Pre-lift-off report and Airborne report are combined into a simplified Liftoff report that shall contain:

  1. Callsign
  2. Departure installation
  3. Destination
  4. POB

When landed, pilots shall report on deck and omit the time.

NOR123, lifting, Troll C to Troll B, 5 POB

NOR123, on deck, Troll B

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