At a signing ceremony this week during the Farnborough International Airshow, Bristow Group and Eurocopter/American Eurocopter announced Bristow has exercised its option to purchase two more EC225 helicopters. These latest purchases will bring Bristow's ordered fleet of large EC225s to 15 by the end of 2011. Also during the ceremony, the companies announced the purchase of three EC135 light twin-engine helicopters, plus the option to purchase one additional light aircraft.

"We are extremely proud to be chosen by Bristow to expand and upgrade its fleet with the additional EC225s and EC135s," said Eurocopter President and CEO Lutz Bertling. "The oil and gas industry demands top-quality equipment to safeguard its people and to ensure safe and efficient operations offshore in increasingly remote and hostile environments. We're pleased that Bristow is again looking to Eurocopter to help it meet that mission."

The EC225s will be deployed globally to serve Bristow's oil and gas customers with heavy twin-engine helicopters in all climate conditions for crew changes and search and rescue operations. Currently, Bristow operates six EC225s in the North Sea and has already taken delivery of a seventh EC225 for offshore service in northern Australia.

"Bristow will deploy the EC225s in the second half of 2009 in response to continued strong demand from our global customer base," said Mark Duncan, Bristow Senior Vice President, Western Hemisphere. "We recently increased our outstanding options for this aircraft type from two to seven, for potential delivery in 2010 and 2011,depending on future market demand. This is a safe, reliable and efficient aircraft that our customers are increasingly asking for."

The twin-engine EC225 is equipped with two Turbomeca Makila 2A turbine engines and FADEC digital engine control, with dual duplex channels that ensure a high level of reliability. The aircraft also offers the most modern avionics and auto pilot capability on the market, and the five-blade main rotor provides a very high standard of comfort.

Bristow currently has two EC135s in its fleet. These EC135s, which are scheduled for delivery between 2008 and 2009, will be deployed in the Gulf of Mexico.