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, EASA EAR for Air OPS, FAA AC 90-80C

General

Flightplan requirements

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 at the end of the route, and DEST/NAME OF VESSEL added to the remark field.

Cruising Altitudes

1. 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.

2. 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:

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 shall be utilizied outside surveillance coverage. Within surveillance-coverage, flights may be routed on direct track by ATS.

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:

*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

1. 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

2. 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.

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.

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.

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

IFR Procedures

Except some minor differences, instrument flying is very similar for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Rules followed by rotary and fixed wing pilots after take-off until final approach are almost the same.

The major differences come up with the operational concerns. For example, special take-off and landing minimums dedicated for helicopters allow them to take-off and land in lower visibility conditions.

If requested by ATC, helicopters are obliged to comply with every necessities stated in standard departure and approach procedures. However, if available to the pilot, helicopter specific procedures will normally be offered when available.

PinS - Point in Space

The Point-in-Space (PinS) concept is a flight operation based on GNSS and designed for helicopters only. It relies on the possibility for the pilot to conduct flight under IMC to/from a PinS (point in space) and not directly to/from the heliport.

PinS procedures are established as both approach and departure procedures in Norway.

Offshore

VFR Minimums

When using a offshore location as a destination or alternate, during the period between 1 hour before and 1 hour after expected time of arrival, weather forecasts should indicate above the following minima:

when flying between offshore locations located in class G airspace where the overwater sector is less than 10 NM, VFR flights may be conducted when the limits are at, or better than, the following:

*The cloud base shall allow flight at the specified height to be below and clear of cloud.

Offshore Enroute Let-down

The offshore enroute let-down procedure, also called cloud break, is a general means to transition from IMC to VMC during the enroute environment. According to minimum reported weather conditions, decent below offshore MSA (1500ft) can be commenced to given thresholds, followed by a visual approach or climb back to MSA.

Offshore Standard Approach Procedure (OSAP)

OSAPs are operator specific approach procedures designed for select offshore locations, and aided with GPS/SBAS and real-time obstacle awareness systems. There are multiple designs based on the visual segment.

The final approach track must be identified, and it must be placed against the wind direction.

Airborne Radar Approach (ARA)

ARA procedures are used by helicopter pilots flying to oil rigs since the early eighties of the twentieth century. They are based on the use of weather radar, which observes the reflection of oil rigs.

METAR

Offshore platform METARs contain some additional parameters that are not found on shore.

• Sea surface temperature in degrees celsius = Wxx/Sxx
• State of the sea = Wxx/Sx

Example: ENQA 151850Z 18029KT 9999 -SHRA BKN019/// BKN110/// 07/05 Q0996 W08/S5=

Communication

Air Traffic Service

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

Southern Norway

Middle and Northern Norway

Radio communication

Startup

Before starting engines prior to departure from an installation, pilots shall inform the appropriate ATS facility of the estimated time of departure (ETD).

• HFIS will relay enroute clearances to the pilot from Polaris ACC before lift-off.
• Enroute clerances are not required if the entire flight will remain inside outside controlled airspace.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enroute and approach to a land base

Per agreements between ATS and operators, the initial call with the APP facility at the airport shall contain:

1. Callsign
2. ATIS Information letter
3. Position
4. Altitude
5. Intended/requested approach, or
6. Intentions to cancel IFR flight and proceed VFR, and
7. Canceling IFR

Flesland Approach, NOR123, Weather A, Inbound VENIN, 3000ft, request RNP 043.

Flesland Approach, NOR123, Weather E, Inbound VENIN, 3000ft, intention is to cancel IFR.

NOR123, visual, cancelling IFR flight.

Position reporting

A Position Report shall contain:

1. Call Sign
2. Position and Time
3. Altitude
4. ETO next Reporting Point
5. Next Reporting Point if it is a special point

In areas with HR: a HR must be followed if without surveillance service, and position reports shall be transmitted at each reporting point.

• Helicopter routes are identified by the letter KY (called «Copter”) and route number, e.g. KY915.
• Reporting points are identified by:
  • a 5 letters identification (e.g. NECUD), or
  • letters KY + route number + distance from an onshore DME (e.g KY915/90).
    • Phraseology to be used is ”route number + distance” (e.g. ”Copter Niner One Five – Niner zero”)

NOR123, passing Copter 915 – 60 at 01, 2000ft, estimate 90 at 31

NOR123, passing Copter 915 – 90 at 15, 2000ft, estimate 120 at 30, SUGAR next

In areas without HR: FPL-route must be followed if without surveillance service, and position reports shall be transmitted every 30NM.

NOR123 is position 72 north 15 east at 1002, 2000ft, estimating 73 north, 15 east at 1016