HOUSTON, Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bristow Group Inc. , a leading provider of helicopter services and production management services to the offshore energy industry, announced today that it is continuing its investment in the Company's new Global Training Division with the purchase from Frasca International of the latest full-flight, state-of-the-art flight simulators for Eurocopter EC225 and Sikorsky S-92 aircraft. The new simulators will be located in Aberdeen, Scotland.
The simulators will be among the first of their type to be deployed anywhere in the world and represent a significant capital investment in pilot training. This investment follows the introduction in 2005 of the EC225, the latest third-generation helicopter and successor to the AS332 Super Puma. Bristow now has six EC225 aircraft operating in the North Sea. The Company also is in the process of deploying six new S-92's to replace Super Puma aircraft operating in the same market. Additional EC225 and S-92 aircraft are on order and will be introduced to the global fleet over the next few years.
"As Bristow Group continues to make substantial investments in its fleet, it's appropriate that we should acquire the latest simulation technology to match the newest generation of helicopters," said Patrick Corr, Bristow's senior vice president of Global Training. "The implications of this investment are much wider than simply offering state-of-the-art training for our existing pilots. It also represents a unique resource that will be a central part of our flight training program and will enable us to attract future generations of pilots."
"This investment demonstrates Bristow's continued commitment to high-quality training and is another step in our long-term plan to build on Bristow Academy to provide not only sufficient numbers of pilots, but also the best, most comprehensively trained pilots for our operations worldwide," Corr said.
The dedicated EC225 and S-92 simulators will feature the latest technology, including exact cockpit replicas; high-level mapping of airports, coastlines and offshore fields; and the ability to recreate the challenges of different flight scenarios, operating conditions and landing approaches.
ABOUT BRISTOW GROUP INC.
Bristow Group Inc. is the leading provider of helicopter services to the worldwide offshore energy industry based on the number of aircraft operated. Through its subsidiaries, affiliates and joint ventures, the Company has major transportation operations in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea, and in most of the other major offshore oil and gas producing regions of the world, including Alaska, Australia, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia and Trinidad. Additionally, the Company is a leading provider of production management services for oil and gas production facilities in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. For more information, visit the Company's website at http://www.bristowgroup.com/.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS DISCLOSURE
Statements contained in this news release that state the Company's or management's intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding future results, the addition of new aircraft to our fleet and future investments. It is important to note that actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the Company's SEC filings, including but not limited to the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2007 and the annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2007. Bristow Group Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements, including financial estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Joe Baj - Treasurer
Bristow Group Inc.
