page_title: Bristow Helicopters
section_title: Search and Rescue
hierarchical_section_title: Bristow Helicopters / Current operations / Search and Rescue
caption_attribution_description: English: HM Coast Guard Sikorsky S-61N helicopter G-BDIJ taken October 2006 in Dorset by Ben W Bell.
context_page_description: Bristow Helicopters Limited is a British civil helicopter operator originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, which is currently a part of the U.S.-based Bristow Group which in turn has its corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas, US.
  Bristow Helicopters was established by Alan Bristow in June 1955; two years later, it acquired its first pair of helicopters in the form of the Westland Widgeon. The company quickly expanded overseas as well as various services, including helicopter training, oil exploration, search and rescue, and charter flights. Having entered the African market in 1960, Nigeria became Bristow's biggest profit center during the 1970s. Having entered the North Sea market during the 1960s, Bristow became Aberdeen Airport's largest single employer during the 1980s and was operating the majority of offshore flights in the North Sea. The company went through repeated changes in ownership during the 1980s and 1990s, leading to its acquisition by American helicopter operator Offshore Logistics in 1996, which re-branded itself as The Bristow Group in February 2006.
context_section_description: Bristow helicopters operated Sikorsky S-61N helicopters on behalf of Her Majesty's Coastguard, the United Kingdom's Coast Guard, until July 2007 after which there was a 12-month transitional period whilst CHC Helicopter took over the contract replacing the S-61N with new helicopters.
  Bristow operated four dedicated Search and Rescue (SAR) sites in the UK, on behalf of HM Coastguard. The units were located at Portland (EGDP) and Lee-on-Solent (EGHF) on the south coast of England, at Stornoway (EGPO) in the Outer Hebrides, and at Sumburgh (EGPB) in the Shetland Isles.
  Northern North Sea services operated from Aberdeen (EGPD), Scatsta (EGPM) and Stavanger (ENZV).
  Southern North Sea services operate from Norwich (EGSH), Humberside (EGNJ) and Den Helder (EHKD) with its support organisation based at Redhill (EGKR).
  Bristow S61N's were responsible to carry out SAR tasks, operating from Den Helder Airport on behalf of the oil and gas industry.
  On 26 March 2013, Bristow was awarded a 10-year contract to operate the search and rescue operations in the United Kingdom, at the time being provided by CHC Helicopter (on behalf of Her Majesty's Coastguard), the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. Bristow is currently operating AgustaWestland AW189 and Sikorsky S-92 helicopters in support of this contract.
caption: Sikorsky S-61N operating for HM Coastguard
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