KLM Helikopters
Defunct Dutch helicopter airline
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
KLM Helikopters N.V. was a Dutch civil helicopter operator founded in 1965, and was wholly owned subsidiary of KLM.
FoundedOctober 1965
Ceased operations1998
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| Founded | October 1965 | ||||||
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| Ceased operations | 1998 | ||||||
| Hubs | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Den Helder Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 11 | ||||||
| Destinations | North Sea oil rigs | ||||||
| Parent company | KLM | ||||||
| Headquarters | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||||||
| Key people | Dr M. S. Kamminga (Manager) H. Zeedijk (Chief pilot) | ||||||
History
Also known as KLM Noordzee Helikopters the company provided offshore support flights, charters, and search and rescue. Their fleet consisted of seven Sikorsky S-61N's, four Sikorsky S-76B's, two Sikorsky S-58T's and two MBB Bo 105's.[1] In 1991 the company expanded when Era Helicopters a division of Era Aviation acquire a 49% of KLM, and provided them with growth in Alaska region. until the company was sold to Schreiner Airways in 1998.[2][3]
Fleet
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KLM Helikopters operated the following helicopter types:[4]
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBB Bo 105C | 1 | 1976 | 1982 | |
| MBB Bo 105Cbs-4 | 2 | 1993 | 1994 | |
| Sikorsky S-58 | 2 | 1975 | 1980 | |
| Sikorsky S-61N | 9 | 1969 | 1998 | |
| Sikorsky S-62 | 1 | 1967 | 1972 | |
| Sikorsky S-76B | 8 | 1986 | 1998 | |
Accidents
- On May 10, 1974 KLM Noordzee Helikopters Sikorsky S-61N PH-NZC crashed en route to an oil rig in the North Sea. None of the two crew and four passengers survived. The probable cause was a failure in one of five rotor blades due to metal fatigue.
- On December 29, 1990, a Sikorsky S-61N was in a hover when serious vibrations were experienced. After touchdown one of the main rotor blades struck the fuselage and detached before the engines were shut down, no injuries were reported.[5]
