A union representative is calling for offshore helicopters used east of St. John’s to be replaced after a reported problem with a Sikorsky helicopter in Norway earlier this week.
"Those helicopters are trouble,” said Kevin Kelly who works on the Hibernia oil platform east of St. John’s and speaks for the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, which represents some offshore workers.
"We all know that, right? Like one fellow said, 'What else do you do, what else do you do, right?' We're hoping these helicopters will go the way of the dodo bird."
Kelly's comments come after a Sikorsky S-92A chopper — the same model that crashed off Newfoundland in March 2009 killing 17 — was forced to return to base Tuesday after reporting engine trouble.
The Norwegian company's fleet of 11 Sikorsky S-92A choppers were briefly grounded, but have since been inspected and returned to service. The company, Bristow, said cracks were discovered in the connection between the gearbox and engine.
The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB) said Wednesday it has reviewed the incident and confirmed that the S-92A choppers transporting workers to offshore oil installations east of St. John’s have been inspected and are airworthy.
A Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation concluded the chopper that crashed southeast of Newfoundland went down because of a catastrophic loss in oil pressure that happened after studs in aircraft's main gearbox sheared off.
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