Not your Average Trip Report - Offshore Egypt to Port Said to Cairo
Nov 4, 2010, 1:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Usually on a ship looking for oil and gas; Uruguay, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, Norway, Scotland, India, Congo & Angola, next project who knows? Agreed to CC rules
Programs: AC Altitude E75K/*G, AS MVP, AF/KLM Petroleum Club, BA Blue
Posts: 1,184
Not your Average Trip Report - Offshore Egypt to Port Said to Cairo
Part One
01 November 2010
1145LT
Three days to go until flight time, but I’ve got all my bags packed, not just cause I’m anal retentive, but because today is “weigh-in” day. I’ve dragged my bags up four flights of stairs to the bridge of the ship so they, and I, can be weighed. I’ve got three bags: a Swiss-army brand backpack, sporting a yellow FT tag that normally serves as my carry-on bag with my laptop, Ipod, Bose headset, a change of clothes, toiletries and some reading material. I also have two smallish duffle bags. I have to check all my bags, absolutely no-carry-on is allowed and each bag must be less than 10 kg. Once my bags are weighed, I need to step onto the scale and my weight is recorded too. Next I need to drag my bags down four flights of stairs to unpack enough stuff for the next three days. Once everyone and their baggage has been weighed, Simon, the ship’s Helicopter Landing Officer will work out the flight manifests for the three planned flights. Simon needs to ensure that each flights payload is below the maximum weight allowed by the helicopter company, PAS or Petroleum Air Services of Egypt.
03 November 2010
1030 LT
I’ve gathered in one of the survey ship’s TV lounges and settled into the leather couch that wrapped around the wall of the lounge for the obligatory helicopter safety video. There are two showing of the video because most of us work shifts and can’t all watch the DVD at the same time. That plus the lounge only seats about a dozen folks and there are 22 of us flying off for our crew change. Watching the video is obligatory, either immediately before the flight, or during the prior work day. Simon, the HLO, fast forwards through the Arabic language portion of the safety DVD and stops to play the English version. Even though there are fourteen different nationalities onboard, from all over the world, we all work and communicate in English. This crew change has 22 folks from ten different countries heading home to the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Germany, Norway, France, Ukraine, Britain, United States and Canada. 10 minutes later, we’re done and we all sign the sheet to prove we’ve watched the video. Later this afternoon the rest of our co-workers will view the video and sign off the sheet.
04 November 2010
0918 LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
Flight one of the day lands on the helicopter deck and the HLO and his crew head onto the deck to offload luggage from the still running helicopter and to open the door for the eight on-signers. The on-signers disembark and are led forward to the waiting off-signers. They exchange the mandatory lifejackets and ear defenders with the waiting off-signers. While the passengers are swapping safety gear, the heli-deck crew is unloading and reloading baggage. Even though my precious laptop is in my checked baggage I won’t be worried, the bags are being handled my friends, shipmates and co-workers. Nothing will be stolen, dropped or damaged. After all the bags for the first flight are loaded, the heli-deck crew leads the off-signers to the port side door of the helicopter and ensures that all are safely buckled in for the short flight to Port Said. As I’m not flying off until the third flight, and my relief is on the second flight out, I’m able to watch everything from the safety of the ship’s bridge. Here the ship’s Captain has radio communications with the helicopter and the HLO. The ship’s Captain also has a computer display in front of him which indicates wind speed and direction, air pressure plus the amount of pitch, heave and roll that the helicopter deck is experiencing. As the heli-deck crew finish checking everything, the ship’s Captain passes the latest weather and motion data to the helicopter Captain. Once that’s done, the HLO gives the “all clear” for take-off and the helicopter lifts off at 0927, after nine minutes on deck , and heads southeast to Port Said.
More to Follow:
01 November 2010
1145LT
Three days to go until flight time, but I’ve got all my bags packed, not just cause I’m anal retentive, but because today is “weigh-in” day. I’ve dragged my bags up four flights of stairs to the bridge of the ship so they, and I, can be weighed. I’ve got three bags: a Swiss-army brand backpack, sporting a yellow FT tag that normally serves as my carry-on bag with my laptop, Ipod, Bose headset, a change of clothes, toiletries and some reading material. I also have two smallish duffle bags. I have to check all my bags, absolutely no-carry-on is allowed and each bag must be less than 10 kg. Once my bags are weighed, I need to step onto the scale and my weight is recorded too. Next I need to drag my bags down four flights of stairs to unpack enough stuff for the next three days. Once everyone and their baggage has been weighed, Simon, the ship’s Helicopter Landing Officer will work out the flight manifests for the three planned flights. Simon needs to ensure that each flights payload is below the maximum weight allowed by the helicopter company, PAS or Petroleum Air Services of Egypt.
03 November 2010
1030 LT
I’ve gathered in one of the survey ship’s TV lounges and settled into the leather couch that wrapped around the wall of the lounge for the obligatory helicopter safety video. There are two showing of the video because most of us work shifts and can’t all watch the DVD at the same time. That plus the lounge only seats about a dozen folks and there are 22 of us flying off for our crew change. Watching the video is obligatory, either immediately before the flight, or during the prior work day. Simon, the HLO, fast forwards through the Arabic language portion of the safety DVD and stops to play the English version. Even though there are fourteen different nationalities onboard, from all over the world, we all work and communicate in English. This crew change has 22 folks from ten different countries heading home to the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Germany, Norway, France, Ukraine, Britain, United States and Canada. 10 minutes later, we’re done and we all sign the sheet to prove we’ve watched the video. Later this afternoon the rest of our co-workers will view the video and sign off the sheet.
04 November 2010
0918 LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
Flight one of the day lands on the helicopter deck and the HLO and his crew head onto the deck to offload luggage from the still running helicopter and to open the door for the eight on-signers. The on-signers disembark and are led forward to the waiting off-signers. They exchange the mandatory lifejackets and ear defenders with the waiting off-signers. While the passengers are swapping safety gear, the heli-deck crew is unloading and reloading baggage. Even though my precious laptop is in my checked baggage I won’t be worried, the bags are being handled my friends, shipmates and co-workers. Nothing will be stolen, dropped or damaged. After all the bags for the first flight are loaded, the heli-deck crew leads the off-signers to the port side door of the helicopter and ensures that all are safely buckled in for the short flight to Port Said. As I’m not flying off until the third flight, and my relief is on the second flight out, I’m able to watch everything from the safety of the ship’s bridge. Here the ship’s Captain has radio communications with the helicopter and the HLO. The ship’s Captain also has a computer display in front of him which indicates wind speed and direction, air pressure plus the amount of pitch, heave and roll that the helicopter deck is experiencing. As the heli-deck crew finish checking everything, the ship’s Captain passes the latest weather and motion data to the helicopter Captain. Once that’s done, the HLO gives the “all clear” for take-off and the helicopter lifts off at 0927, after nine minutes on deck , and heads southeast to Port Said.
More to Follow:
Last edited by mpc1; Nov 4, 2010 at 2:08 am Reason: minor typos
Nov 4, 2010, 7:34 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Usually on a ship looking for oil and gas; Uruguay, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, Norway, Scotland, India, Congo & Angola, next project who knows? Agreed to CC rules
Programs: AC Altitude E75K/*G, AS MVP, AF/KLM Petroleum Club, BA Blue
Posts: 1,184
04 November 2010
1056 LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
Flight two arrives pretty much the same as the first flight, except I’m watching for my relief Andy, from Scotland, to disembark. Once Andy’s handed off his safety gear to an off-signer, we head inside to our office to spend the next couple of minutes finishing our hand-over. Andy and I have worked together before, and I’ve been sending him written notes for the past couple of weeks, so the hand-over goes pretty quickly. Once we’ve heard the helicopter lift off, we head out on deck to grab Andy’s waiting bags and we head down to get him settled into the cabin. While Andy unpacks, I drag my bags up on deck and hand them off to the heli-deck. They know from the flight manifest how many bags are supposed to be on each flight.
1056 LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
Flight two arrives pretty much the same as the first flight, except I’m watching for my relief Andy, from Scotland, to disembark. Once Andy’s handed off his safety gear to an off-signer, we head inside to our office to spend the next couple of minutes finishing our hand-over. Andy and I have worked together before, and I’ve been sending him written notes for the past couple of weeks, so the hand-over goes pretty quickly. Once we’ve heard the helicopter lift off, we head out on deck to grab Andy’s waiting bags and we head down to get him settled into the cabin. While Andy unpacks, I drag my bags up on deck and hand them off to the heli-deck. They know from the flight manifest how many bags are supposed to be on each flight.
Nov 4, 2010, 7:45 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Usually on a ship looking for oil and gas; Uruguay, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, Norway, Scotland, India, Congo & Angola, next project who knows? Agreed to CC rules
Programs: AC Altitude E75K/*G, AS MVP, AF/KLM Petroleum Club, BA Blue
Posts: 1,184
04 November 2010
1230LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
About ten minutes before the helicopter is expected to land an announcement is made inside the ship, but I’m already anxiously waiting at the muster position. I’ve said my goodbyes to Andy and my colleagues who are staying and I’m ready. We wait for what seems like an inordinate amount of time, but there’s no helo on deck, my stomach turns. Then we hear another announcement, the helo has turned back. I head to the bridge and watch, from a safe distance, as the captain starts speaking on the radio with the chopper. We, the ship that is, can see the lost helicopter, on radar, but the helo can’t seem to find us. The ship tells the helicopter, “we’re eight miles due north of you on radar”, the helicopter turns to starboard and the radio crackles “OK I see you now”, “Landing on deck in four minutes...”. I scramble back to the muster station and quickly turn to count heads; yes all eight of us are back and ready
1230LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
About ten minutes before the helicopter is expected to land an announcement is made inside the ship, but I’m already anxiously waiting at the muster position. I’ve said my goodbyes to Andy and my colleagues who are staying and I’m ready. We wait for what seems like an inordinate amount of time, but there’s no helo on deck, my stomach turns. Then we hear another announcement, the helo has turned back. I head to the bridge and watch, from a safe distance, as the captain starts speaking on the radio with the chopper. We, the ship that is, can see the lost helicopter, on radar, but the helo can’t seem to find us. The ship tells the helicopter, “we’re eight miles due north of you on radar”, the helicopter turns to starboard and the radio crackles “OK I see you now”, “Landing on deck in four minutes...”. I scramble back to the muster station and quickly turn to count heads; yes all eight of us are back and ready
Nov 4, 2010, 8:16 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Usually on a ship looking for oil and gas; Uruguay, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria, Libya, Egypt, Norway, Scotland, India, Congo & Angola, next project who knows? Agreed to CC rules
Programs: AC Altitude E75K/*G, AS MVP, AF/KLM Petroleum Club, BA Blue
Posts: 1,184
04 November 2010
1354LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
Finally we hear the unmistakable thumping sound of a bell twin huey helicopter landing just around the corner. I think back to the late 70’s and my first ever helicopter flight, back to 1977 and a short flight on a military search & rescue twin huey helicopter that was giving famil flights to my youth group. My first ever helicopter flight, but obviously not my last. The flying bug bit, hard and early.
Back to reality of November 2010, I watch as the new HLO, Simon’s relief came out on the first flight and Simon is headed into Cairo on the third flight with me, the new HLO waves the eight on-signers away from the chopper and towards us at the muster station. I spot Steve, a British friend who’s joining the vessel, and we spend the next two minutes hastily catching up with each other while he peels off his inflatable life jacket and hands it over to me to strap on. All too quickly I spot the new HLO waving us towards the helo. I’m second in line, just behind Simon. We reach the helo and there are two rows of seats: there’s a bench five across with a sliding door on each side and a two half benches just forward with two seats each side. Simon slides across to the port side of the five seater bench and I slide in just next to him. In the next few minutes all eight of us have strapped ourselves in.
All of us onboard have all taken and passed a HUET course, HUET is Helicopter Underwater Escape Training. HUET is a heart stopping course where students are strapped into a fibreglass mock up of a helicopter that is dunked into a pool of water and instantly rotated upside-down 180 degrees until everyone onboard in inverted . Each student has to then punch out the closest escape door or window, release their seat belt and pull themselves out. All while being inverted, in water, a discombobulating experience if there ever was one
Anytime I board a helicopter my first choice of seats is next to an escape window, if I’m not next to an escape window, I want to be sure that the person in that seat, knows what he’s doing. Simon who’s next to me has not only passed his HUET course, he’s also a qualified Helicopter Landing Office. I can relax and feel safe. At 1301 LT we lift off and head south to Egypt.
1354LT
Bell 412
Call sign SU-CBX
Finally we hear the unmistakable thumping sound of a bell twin huey helicopter landing just around the corner. I think back to the late 70’s and my first ever helicopter flight, back to 1977 and a short flight on a military search & rescue twin huey helicopter that was giving famil flights to my youth group. My first ever helicopter flight, but obviously not my last. The flying bug bit, hard and early.
Back to reality of November 2010, I watch as the new HLO, Simon’s relief came out on the first flight and Simon is headed into Cairo on the third flight with me, the new HLO waves the eight on-signers away from the chopper and towards us at the muster station. I spot Steve, a British friend who’s joining the vessel, and we spend the next two minutes hastily catching up with each other while he peels off his inflatable life jacket and hands it over to me to strap on. All too quickly I spot the new HLO waving us towards the helo. I’m second in line, just behind Simon. We reach the helo and there are two rows of seats: there’s a bench five across with a sliding door on each side and a two half benches just forward with two seats each side. Simon slides across to the port side of the five seater bench and I slide in just next to him. In the next few minutes all eight of us have strapped ourselves in.
All of us onboard have all taken and passed a HUET course, HUET is Helicopter Underwater Escape Training. HUET is a heart stopping course where students are strapped into a fibreglass mock up of a helicopter that is dunked into a pool of water and instantly rotated upside-down 180 degrees until everyone onboard in inverted . Each student has to then punch out the closest escape door or window, release their seat belt and pull themselves out. All while being inverted, in water, a discombobulating experience if there ever was one
Anytime I board a helicopter my first choice of seats is next to an escape window, if I’m not next to an escape window, I want to be sure that the person in that seat, knows what he’s doing. Simon who’s next to me has not only passed his HUET course, he’s also a qualified Helicopter Landing Office. I can relax and feel safe. At 1301 LT we lift off and head south to Egypt.
Nov 5, 2010, 5:54 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: BOS
Posts: 409
Great trip report. I haven't done this kind of trip nearly as often as I'm sure you have, and have only been offshore for a few days at a time, but your descriptions are exactly as I remember things, right down to the noise of the approaching helicopter.
Nov 9, 2010, 9:41 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Oklahoma City, OK,USA
Programs: DL Plat,AA Plat,UA 1Peon,SW(WN) Passing Grade
Posts: 902
Wow! So thrilling and unusual..... you express the tension and the humanity of your routine commute......thanks for all the details which give a vicarious thrill to us on the usual fixed-wing aircraft!
Last edited by peersteve; Nov 9, 2010 at 9:42 pm Reason: typos
