Server: Commerce-Builder/2.0 (Win32; ix86; S) Accept: GET HEAD PUT Accept-Ranges: bytes Content-length: 23372 Content-type: text/html Last-modified: Thu, 13 Nov 1997 17:26:14 GMT Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 22:59:25 GMT Petroleum Helicopters Inc. Historical Summary

PHILogo

Petroleum Helicopters Inc.

The Total Helicopter Company


Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (PHI) had its beginning in February, 1949. With the emergence of the offshore oil and gas industry, seismograph crews were battling their way though a foreboding stretch of Louisiana marsh and swamp land. Using ground vehicles (marsh buggies) was a very slow, arduous and dangerous way to traverse this type of terrain. Out of desperation, the late Jack Lee, a seismographic company president, envisioned the helicopter as an alternative transportation solution. He then approached Robert L. Suggs and M. M. Bayon and purchased three Bell 47 helicopters. Their "fleet" of three small helicopters soon proved that rotary-wing aircraft was a feasible solution to the problem. The company began with an investment of $100,000, eight employees and three Bell 47 helicopters and the belief that helicopters would play a major role in the future of transportation in the industry. PHI was built on a strong commitment to safety, quality and reliability and continually directed to customer service.

Today, PHI still embodies these basic principles. Almost fifty years later, the company has grown to become the world’s largest and most experienced commercial helicopter operator. With a fleet of 315 aircraft, larger than most competitors worldwide, PHI offers services to the offshore oil, onshore mining, International, Aeromedical, and Technical Services industries. The highly skilled staff of pilots and mechanics gives the company great depth in all areas of operation. The average tenure of employment is 15 years, and the company is proud of the dedication and commitment of their employees. In total, the company has over 1850 full time employees working at 45 domestic and 11 foreign bases. The PHI team is composed of the most courageous, highly skilled, dedicated, hard-working and loyal employees in the world.

PHI has a long history of operating in the Global Marketplace. In addition to North America, the company has operated in 38 foreign countries, to include Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Current domestic areas of operation include: 600 miles of coastal waters along the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Florida and California.  International locations are Angola, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, the Philippines, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zaire. The company uses a broad range of joint ventures, partnerships and strategic alliances with customers and other operators to provide services to those parts of the world. PHI's helicopters operate 200 miles into the Gulf of Mexico and to locations 185 miles offshore in international waters. PHI's Headquarters are in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, where daily operations are conducted in conjunction with 45 other PHI heliports nationwide.

PHI provides service to the Healthcare industry through its Aeromedical Services Division. Since its inception in 1981, Aeromedical Services has grown from one medically equipped helicopter to thirty-six helicopters with state of the art medical interiors designed and constructed by PHI. The current customer list spans the United States and includes customers that are very visible in the Healthcare industry. PHI Aeromedical Services is currently providing services that were previously not available from civilian helicopter operators. Along with PHI’s safety record, Aeromedical Services’ safety record has been without peers since its inception.

Not surprisingly, helicopter manufacturers work closely with PHI and have adopted many of it modifications and other technological improvements. As an example, one manufacturer chose PHI's stretcher design for aeromedically configured helicopters. PHI also has been instrumental in the development and certification of offshore navigation equipment. Additionally, over the 48 year history of PHI, the company has become the industry leader in maintenance, technology, and overall operations. Their overhaul and maintenance facility based in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA is considered by many to be the premier facility in the world because of its technology and experienced staff. PHI employees conduct routine maintenance and repair work; completely overhaul engines and airframes; operate a state-of-the-art painting facility; study and engineer new parts and lubricants; research new procedures; develop new techniques; and maintain a multi-million dollar inventory, all of which are required to operate the world's largest fleet of commercial helicopters.

In addition, PHI has developed state-of-the-art medically configured interiors for hospital and medical customers nationwide. Throughout the efforts of the engineering department and the maintenance staff, they have provided interiors which allow the helicopter to operate as a flying ambulance and enable the medical personnel to perform procedures and provide services that previously were only available in a hospital.


Throughout the company’s 47 years of aviation leadership, there have been many accomplishments, "firsts" and superlatives that have occurred which have changed the aviation industry. A partial list of those accomplishments is listed below. PHI has always been known as the innovative and technological leader in the industry, and the statements listed below display the depth of that ideology.

SOME OF PHI'S LONG LISTS OF "FIRSTS"

Firsts!First commercial helicopter operator authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct IFR "off airways" flight operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Firsts!Pioneered the basing of helicopter operations at offshore locations.

Firsts!First to design and construct offshore refueling facilities for helicopter operations.

Firsts!First helicopter mid-air recovery of a suborbital missile payload.

Firsts!Established world's most comprehensive offshore radio network that ties PHI's 15 Gulf Coast bases with 6 offshore bases.

Firsts!First commercial helicopter operator to use electronic data processing for parts inventory control, maintenance, records, etc.

Firsts!Pioneered in the establishment of comprehensive training programs for its own pilots, mechanics and technicians.

Firsts!Leads the industry in continuous research and development efforts, evaluation of the latest helicopter and equipment for offshore use and in keeping abreast of helicopter parts technology.

Firsts!Pioneered in the establishment of offshore navigation techniques and procedures, through creation of its own flight route structure, communications network, and weather services.

Firsts!Pioneered in the development of dozens of airborne support techniques in the offshore oil and gas operational environment.

Firsts!Leads its industry in the development of methods to "sling load" heavy equipment by helicopter.

Firsts!Was the first commercial helicopter operator to operate helicopters under IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) conditions without the aid of autopilot systems.

Firsts!First commercial helicopter operator to log the historic milestone of 1,000,000; 2,000,000; 3,000,000; 4,000,000; 5,000,000; 6,000,000; 7,000,000 and 8,000,000 flight hours.

Firsts!Operates the world's largest commercial heliport (Morgan City, Louisiana) which features 46 helipads, complete fuel and maintenance facilities and air-conditioned passenger lounges.

Firsts!Maintains the well-known PHI tradition of being first to evaluate and adopt/reject the latest technology available, whether it be a new model helicopter or a different method of accomplishing old tasks.

Firsts!Maintains a safety record that is second to none in the helicopter industry. Many safety awards have been awarded to the company, including the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) "Safety In Seas Award" (April 3, 1995), the Federal Aviation Administration’s "High Flier Award" for 82,000 flight hours of accident and violation free flight time in the Aeromedical industry (March 19, 1996), the Flight Safety Foundation’s "President’s Citation for Safety" (April 25, 1996) and annual safety awards from the Helicopter Association International (HAI). Our safety record has been recognized by Transport Canada and was featured on the cover of the January 1996 issue of their aviation safety newsletter, "Vortex" which is distributed to all pilots in Canada. The only helicopter operator in the world that has three helicopter equipped Roving Maintenance Teams that are available at any time for offshore maintenance support.

Firsts!First to use the S-76 in air medical transport.

Firsts!The first to design a rotary wing interior which would allow for the installation of equipment to transport a mobile ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) patient.

OTHER PHI ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Accomplishments!As soon as the company receives delivery of one particular model of helicopter from the manufacturer, PHI technicians commence to accomplish more than 50 modifications to tailor it for offshore operations.

Included in the process are several modifications:

Accomplishments!A simple device to prevent an engine start with the rotor blades tied down
Accomplishments!A larger oil cooler
Accomplishments!Corrosion control measures
Accomplishments!An alteration of emergency access doors and addition of flotation devices
Not surprisingly, helicopter manufacturers work closely with PHI and have adopted many of its modifications and other technological improvements. One manufacturer, for example, chose PHI's design for a stretcher for aeromedically configured helicopters. PHI also has been instrumental in the development and certification of offshore navigation equipment.
Additionally, over the 47 year history of PHI, the company has become the industry leader in maintenance, technology and overall operations. Their overhaul and maintenance facility based in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA is considered by many to be the premier facility in the world because of both its’ technology and experienced staff. PHI employees conduct routine maintenance and repair work; completely overhaul engines and airframes; operate a state of the art painting facility; study and engineer new parts and lubricants; research new procedures; develop improved techniques; and maintain a multi-million dollar inventory, all of which are required to operate the world’s largest fleet of commercial helicopters. In addition, PHI has developed state of the art medically configured interiors for hospital and medical customers nationwide. Through the efforts of the engineering department and the maintenance staff, they have provided interiors which allow the helicopter to operate as a flying ambulance and enable the medical personnel to perform procedures and provide services that previously were only available in a hospital.

FROM THE ROUTINE TO THE RARE

Each day, PHI crews routinely provide fast, economical transportation of men and women, equipment and supplies to offshore sites, hospitals and other facilities, worldwide. From transferring a supervisor or a vital drilling rig part to changing an entire drilling crew, a PHI helicopter today does the job in about one-fifth of the time required by boat transportation. With the company’s advanced maintenance capabilities, PHI is able to provide each customer 98% availability of aircraft everyday. Valuable time and money are saved in the helicopter support of distant offshore operations, and the men and women who work at those locations work with the confidence that they are only a few minutes away from helicopter help, should they become sick, injured or in the case of a hazardous weather conditions.

Apart from its normal operations, PHI has also become famous for other humanitarian aspects of its business. For example, employee groups known as "advisory committees" regularly query top management about a wide variety of PHI working conditions, business ventures and future plans.

PHI crews have rescued hundreds of persons from the perils of floods, storms and other disasters. Its helicopter crews lifted 216 people from rooftops and trees in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Donna devastated that country. Always available for emergency use in the areas where they operate, PHI helicopters and employees have flown Red Cross relief personnel to disaster sites, supported rescue operations and flown public officials to survey the damaged areas. PHI rescues are as varied as they are numerous; and the company prides itself on continuously striving to be a corporate example to their employees and the areas where they operate.

CURRENT FACTS AND FIGURES

Total Flight Time: 8,499,814 as of September 1997
Current Flight Time per Month: 22,076 (September 1997)
Current Flight Time per Year: 240,459 (1996)
Total Employment: 1,850 (September 1997)
Total Number of Aircraft: 315 helicopters and five fixed wing aircraft
Current customers: All of the major oil companies with operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Coast, the U. S. Department of the Interior, numerous service companies in the oil and gas industry, mining companies, seismic companies, construction companies at work on oil pipelines, manufacturers of offshore navigation equipment, worldwide

Additionally, PHI owns and operates thirty-six (36) EMS configured helicopters which are totally dedicated to service in the EMS field.

 

PHI is the Total Helicopter Company. As the offshore oil and gas industry moves further out into the Gulf of Mexico, the aeromedical industry gets more advanced and as International arenas open, PHI plans to be able to meet the needs of all customers in all locations. PHI provides customers with the safest, most reliable helicopter transportation in the world and they are prepared to move anywhere their services are needed. As the largest helicopter company in the world, PHI has the ability to expand and grow which allows for greater flexibility and improved service. Thus, as the industry progresses into the 21st century, PHI is primed for any challenge.


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©1996, Petroleum Helicopters, Inc.