Bristow leverages on safety, acquires new plane
By Wole Shadare
AVIATION safety is one of the critical issues facing the industry. This is due to the fact most airlines do not engage in fleet renewal and this poses enormous threat to the safety of airline travelers.
Poised to instill confidence in the travelling public, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has done so well to regulate the system.
Based on this, the Federal Government and its agencies in the aviation industry focus on and apply the weight of the law against any errant airline.
Bristow Helicopters in Nigeria has been one organisation with strong focus on making air travel a memorable experience for travellers through the array of world-class services that Bristow is synonymous with. The company has invested over $100 million on fleet renewal in the last six months.
According to Captain Akin Oni, deputy-managing director, Bristow's values represent its core beliefs about how to conduct our business.
Oni listed the operator's core business values to safety, teamwork, integrity, and profitability.
The major development in the aviation industry now is the unveiling of two new aircraft by Bristow Helicopters.
The company recently acquired a brand-new Cessna Citation XLS jet and SIKORSKY S-76C++ to further strengthen its fleet.
The company had earlier scored a major first by being the first company to bring a Dornier Jet into the country.
The Cessna Citation jet has a tracking device, which makes it possible to be tracked and monitored during flight operations.
This aligns with the overall mission of the company as Oni puts it: "Our mission is to provide the safest and most efficient helicopter services and aviation support worldwide."
Speaking to The Guardian recently, he stated: "We will achieve this by focusing on and committing to working in innovative partnerships with our customers and further developing our highly professional workforce. Expanding our business and extending our horizons. This means we will provide industry-leading value to our customers, fellow employees and shareholders while remaining true to our core values."
Oni disclosed the two new aircraft cost $50 million. The company is also currently investing in new fleet and training of personnel to handle its operations.
The acquisition of the aircraft will reduce the number of flights hours flown by passengers in addition to enabling the charter company provide seamless services to its customers who are mostly from the oil and gas sector.
Bristow Helicopters is customer centric in all its operations and it seeks to provide the world-class services that the company is renowned for on a global level. The latest acquisition will enable the organisation provide seamless customer solution and getting close to the customers.
He reiterated that one area that the firm was providing exemplary leadership in the nation's aviation industry was the development of the local content policy, adding that the firm placed high premium on local development policy.
His words: "This is very important to us. This has clearly manifested in the strategic focus on the company as Bristow engages in a sponsorship programme of training Nigerians as engineers. It has about 42 engineers that are being trained which is a huge investment. The company is currently searching for young Nigerians who aspire to become pilots and engineers. Those who pass the selection process will benefit from the company's programme to train locally or overseas."
It would be recalled that Bristow's biggest spending is on training because of the gap the issue of training has created in the nation's aviation's industry. The company spends nothing less than $210,000 for training of each pilot for its operations.
Corporate Social Responsibility is one area that Bristow Helicopters engages in to be a socially responsible citizen. The company donated a helicopter to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria for the practical training of students. The gesture according to Oni is to develop the skills and technical expertise of Nigerian Pilots to compete shoulder high with their global counterparts.
Bristow Helicopters has also been an organisation that adheres strictly to professionalism and ethical standards in its operations.
The company has always operated by the rules and procedures of the nation's aviation's industry. Oni stated that the company would continue to abide by regulatory rules relating to safety, as its competitive edge over competition is safety. The company has received several commendations from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for its compliance on fleet renewal.
The Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren commended Bristow Helicopter for complying with the Federal Government's directive of renewing fleet on a consistent basis. Fleet renewal has always been the hallmark of Bristow.
